An aviation associations forum has slammed CASA for proposing 90 new fees at a time when the aviation industry is being economically squeezed.
The Australian Aviation Associations Forum (TAAAF) has responded to a draft CASA Cost Recovery Implementation Strategy (CRIS) in a statement released today.
"In this environment it is not appropriate for CASA to propose some 90 new charges related to the bungled new Part 61 for pilot licensing, and to maintain complex bureaucratic systems that fail to deliver efficiency," the statement says.
"Industry has concerns about the lack of urgency in reform and denial of the Forsyth report criticisms by a cohort of long term managers within CASA."
According to the statement, TAAAF also told CASA it should tighten its own belt and focus on cost reduction and becoming more efficient before looking to increase revenue from the aviation industry.
"At a time when many aviation industry sectors are suffering a significant economic downturn due to the end of the mining boom, drought in two States and a multi-decade general decline in activity, all parts of the industry have had to tighten their belts and
CASA’s regulatory services should not be immune.
"On one side sits the Government’s budget predicament, Government’s red tape reduction plan, the Government direction regarding new regulations having to be cost neutral on industry and the Government’s announced adoption of most of the recommendations of the highly critical Forsyth Aviation Review."
TAAAF states that the aviation industry's reaction to the draft CRIS is "hostile" and proposes several measures that they have asked Minister Warren Truss to consider instead, including:
- Reject the draft Cost Recovery Implementation Strategy (CRIS)
- Refer CASA to the Government directive that new regulations should be cost neutral
- Refer CASA to the Government policy on red tape reduction
- Direct CASA to implement the Government’s response to the Forsyth Report
- Include a direction in his Letter of Expectations that CASA focus on cost reduction before more cost recovery
- Direct CASA to establish a joint industry/CASA taskforce to review all charges and the efficiency of the systems behind them, with a view to eliminating activities and their accompanying charges where they make no contribution to safety.
The draft CRIS is available on the CASA website along with the details of how to comment.