Aviation policies of Labor & the Coalition

[Mazda]

Has anyone seen the aviation policies of the two major parties? The Coalition one is available online on the Liberal website. I haven't been able to find the Labor one in full online but an article in The Australian today outlines their plan.

 

Coalition:

 

Encouraging careers in aviation

 

Money for high school students to learn to fly in aero clubs

 

Establishment of an Aviation technical college

 

Scholarships for people to have 25% of flying training subsidised if they work for regional airlines for 2 years.

 

Continued airspace and regulatory reform using world's best practice

 

Money to help reduce aviation emissions.

 

Labor:

 

Axing airspace reform

 

Location specific not allowed

 

Not allowing competition for towers and rescue and fire fighting

 

Re-establishing a CASA Board

 

Development of aviation emission indicators

 

Analysis of future passenger and freight growth

 

Airlines/airports/Airservices required to monitor costs of delays/congestions

 

Now I don't want to comment on which way people should vote. I suggest you look at all the factors and read the documents yourself. Personally, the choice looks very clear to me.

 

 

[slartibartfast]

They're lucky I didn't know that before I voted on Wednesday.

 

Time to start lobbying.

 

 

[Mazda]

What can we do to start lobbying?

 

 

[Mazda]

I've found the full Labor policy under Media and 2007 press releases on Martin Ferguson's website.

 

Yes, the points in The Australian are correct. Return to network pricing, continuing the Airservices monopoly on towers. It does say they will promote aviation training but it doesn't say how.

 

It also says they will remove the direction issued by the Minister to Airservices to have approach radar for Class C. This means that controllers at Class D towers are separating aircraft in the terminal area, while at the same time trying to separate IFR aircraft 20 miles away (in Class C airspace) with no radar.

 

The Coalition plan is for controller to have radar available. Either that or they would only have responsibility for the Class D, and the airspace above would be Class E (managed by the Centre).

 

 

[Guest High Plains Drifter]

The NO ADSB party has my vote.

 

 

[Mazda]

The Coalition says ADS-B "will be subjected to risk management and cost benefit justification." The Labor policy doesn't mention anything about ADS-B so I have no idea about their policies on this.

 

 

[Guest pelorus32]

You're missing one key thing in the Labor policy:

 

BBBB = Bye Bye Bruce Byron

 

M

 

 

[Admin]

Mike

 

Could it be a case of "better the devil you know then the devil you don't"

 

What I will say is that now seeing Europe we are so so lucky with what we have in Australia - we have a strong country, financially sound, a respected economy and a very safe and friendly place to be in - I personally wouldn't like to see that jeopardised now with what the rest of the world is experiencing - constant strikes in France and Germany, industry collapsing in Italy and cost of living going through the roof of unaffordable housing - this is just my personal opinion as I can now look at the world with open eyes!!!

 

 

[Yenn]

What the parties promise and what we will get are two different things. The pollies may be sincere and mean well but the beaurocrats will win, all they do is say that is a safety requirement and the pollies can't do a thing. They rolled Mark Vaile when he tried to pull them into line.

 

We will never have a sane aviation environment until there is separation between those that make the rules and those who administer them.

 

Think what would happen if all motorists had to pay $80+ dollars per annum to get a card allowing them into a fuel outlet, because petrol is a possible terrorist tool. Think also how it would be if the road rules were changed so often that motorists had to pay for updates and carry them in their cars when driving. I doubt that 5% of you have seen the "Traffic Act" let alone studied it, as we are supposed to do with aviation rules.

 

 

[Guest High Plains Drifter]

Well put Ian,

 

The car analogy is most apt. You got me thinking of pilots I know who speak of absolute aviation safety, and yet drive bomby old cars. Appears the aircraft they fly for less then 50 hours a year must have every known aeronautical safety gadget imaginable - and yet the car they drive their loved ones around in every day of the year has a one star safety rateing (5 stars being the best)

 

 

[mlpinaus]

King Log and King Stork

 

You all sound like a knowledgeable and a nice lot! The pity of it is that whatever

 

you do, you elect a politician. And you end up carrying them on your back, as in

 

the fairy story. I've met a few of the previous Labour lot in a previous life ; clever

 

and able; Barry Jones, Button; Amanda Vanstone from the Libs. In the end its

 

about the party line and staying around for 8 years for the indexed pension. Real

 

life is my son flying me down to Vctor Harbor in my j230 this morning and then

 

coming back and having to vote (penalties provided at law). HoHum

 

Marcus

 

 

[Guest brentc]

Wait and see. The word on the street (in the airways) is that the Rudd Government will ditch part 103 or atleast delay it for a long time. Time will tell. Ian, I hope you voted before you went on holidays.

 

 

[Guest High Plains Drifter]

Brent, any idea of why labor would delay/ditch part 103

 

 

[Mazda]

Labor sure want to ditch aviation reform and take us back 10 years. With the current swing I wonder if I should just give up now and take up knitting.

 

 

[rick-p]

I'm afraid that in my view none of them are worth feeding they are only legalised terrorists but as Ian said better the devil you know than the devil you don't.

 

90% of the population of Australia have no idea what they have here in this country and certain groups of people use the country as a base to support their unsavory causes overseas with a total disregard as to how privileged they are to even be here isolated and insulated from the pain and terror being brought down upon human kind in the name either religion or politics or at times just greed for power or wealth.

 

 

[airangel]

Maybe I agree Ian, , but its now 9pm on Sat nite, and it looks like we will '" all be ruined"

 

 

[Guest High Plains Drifter]

"90% of the population of Australia have no idea what they have here in this country"

 

So true Rick-p.....so true.

 

On a bright note, I noted Prime Minister elect Rudd is concerned about the loss of Australian industry due to overseas competition. Perhaps we will see something done about the loss of the Australian economic base - we carnt survive foreever on digging holes.

 

HPD

 

 

[Admin]

Wait and see. The word on the street (in the airways) is that the Rudd Government will ditch part 103 or atleast delay it for a long time. Time will tell. Ian, I hope you voted before you went on holidays.

Yes mate - I voted before I left and after the text message Corrine sent me before, a fat lot of good that did - hey, it's a free country (at the moment) and I can say is that I have always voted Liberal yet I have power to the people kind of rules - go figure

PS - I absolutly detest rumours, inuendo, story on the street, gossip etc - only facts please

 

 

[Guest pelorus32]

Wait and see. The word on the street (in the airways) is that the Rudd Government will ditch part 103 or atleast delay it for a long time. Time will tell. Ian, I hope you voted before you went on holidays.

 

PS - I absolutly detest rumours' date=' inuendo, story on the street, gossip etc - only facts please[/quote']I'm with Ian on this.

 

OK so let's not have rumour and innuendo. This, also has nothing to do with who will make the better government. This is all about the likelihood - for months that last night's result was going to happen.

 

I worked with Middo to clearly state the issues and then I went and spoke with Martin Ferguson because I was expecting that we would have a Labor government and that Martin would therefore be Minister (that remains likely that he will be Minister). It was a very good conversation. He is extremely supportive of Part 103 and also understands GA and RA quite well and the broader issues regarding airports near capital cities and the supply of qualified people.

 

If you are concerned about Part 103 then you should do something about it rather than idly speculating.

 

I can't tell you what will happen to Part 103. What I can tell you is that I'm confident that I've contributed to it getting through.

 

Mike

[Guest pelorus32]

Further to my last post. The thing that should be worrying each and every member of RAAus is that at the time I went and spoke to Martin I was told that NOBODY from RAAus (the head office/Board) had been anywhere near him. That startled me and he also expressed surprised.

 

In contrast AOPA and GA in general have been doing a fabulous job of getting alongside him. All power to them.

 

What we have to understand is that AOPA's interests do not necessarily coincide with ours. Their job is to represent their members and RAAus's job is to represent ours. Those interests may coincide and where they do we should work jointly. It would be naive to expect them always to coincide.

 

This has less than nothing to do with politics and who you do or don't like. Governments come and go. Our organisation has an absolute obligation to be maintaining good relationships and open dialogue with both the government and the opposition. That is one of the ways in which they can further our interests. I do not believe that they are doing that effectively.

 

We need to get over party politics and look after our interests. Everyone else is looking after theirs, you can be sure. Strong words but that's what I believe.

 

Regards

 

Mike

 

 

[Deskpilot]

Well said Mike, well said.

 

 

[Guest High Plains Drifter]

"The thing that should be worrying each and every member of RAAus is that at the time I went and spoke to Martin I was told that NOBODY from RAAus (the head office/Board) had been anywhere near him. That startled me and he also expressed surprised"

 

 

Thats pretty amazing - It definitely worrys me.

 

 

 

[Guest JRMobile]

Keep the strong words coming Mike ;). It is always good to hear from people with their eye on the bigger picture!

 

 

[Yenn]

I do not care which party they are, none of them can control CASA and the Libs wouldn't even enforce the legal requirements that went with the airports that they sold.

 

Do not trust them but keep talking to them. The more we talk the more they think we are worth listening to.

 

 

[Guest brentc]

I'll re-phrase next time to avoid the word-on-the-street type phrases. To clarify further, the Labor website has an overview of their aviation policies and as Mazda says, they want to turn back the clock. It's all there in black and white. The Libs had a few good things in there such as adding Flying Training for CPL into the HECS system etc, but nothing even close from Labor.