INQ258

Recommendations for this Inquiry

INQ-ref REC-UID CODE SubCode SrcNUM Recommendation
INQ258 REC258-2526 A - Responsibility 24 - Govt responsibility Recommendation 1

The Australian Government develops the State Safety Program into a strategic plan for Australia’s aviation safety system, under the leadership of the Aviation Policy Group, and uses it as the foundation for rationalising and improving coordination mechanisms.

INQ258 REC258-2546 E - Agency Organisation 12 - EM agency and authority Recommendation 21

The Civil Aviation Safety Authority changes its organisational structure to a client-oriented output model.

INQ258 REC258-2547 E - Agency Organisation 12 - EM agency and authority Recommendation 22

The Civil Aviation Safety Authority establishes small offices at specific industry centres to improve monitoring, service quality, communications and collaborative relationships.

INQ258 REC258-2548 F - Research and technology 17 - Assets and technology Recommendation 23

The Civil Aviation Safety Authority shares the risk assessment outputs of Sky Sentinel, its computerised risk assessment system, with the applicable authorisation holder.

INQ258 REC258-2549 A - Responsibility 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review Recommendation 24

The Civil Aviation Safety Authority provides full disclosure of audit findings at audit exit briefings in accordance with international best practice.

INQ258 REC258-2550 D - Recovery 6 - Insurance and legal liability Recommendation 25

The Civil Aviation Safety Authority introduces grading of Non-Compliance Notices on a scale of seriousness.

INQ258 REC258-2551 A - Responsibility 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review Recommendation 26

The Civil Aviation Safety Authority assures consistency of audits across all regions, and delivers audit reports within an agreed timeframe.

INQ258 REC258-2552 A - Responsibility 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review Recommendation 27

The Civil Aviation Safety Authority implements a system of using third-party commercial audits as a supplementary tool to its surveillance system.

INQ258 REC258-2553 E - Agency Organisation 12 - EM agency and authority Recommendation 28

The Civil Aviation Safety Authority establishes a safety oversight risk management hierarchy based on a categorisation of operations. Rule making and surveillance priorities should be proportionate to the safety risk.

INQ258 REC258-2554 E - Agency Organisation 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform Recommendation 29

Recreational Aviation Administration Organisations, in coordination with the Civil Aviation Safety Authority, develop mechanisms to ensure all aircraft to be regulated under CASR Part 149 are registered.

INQ258 REC258-2555 E - Agency Organisation 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform Recommendation 30

The Civil Aviation Safety Authority changes the current two-tier regulatory framework (act and regulations) to a three-tier structure (act, regulations and standards), with:

INQ258 REC258-2556 A - Responsibility 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review Recommendation 31

The Civil Aviation Safety Authority structures all regulations not yet made with the three-tier approach, and subsequently reviews all other Civil Aviation Safety Regulation Parts (in consultation with industry) to determine if they should be remade using the three-tier structure.

INQ258 REC258-2557 D - Recovery 6 - Insurance and legal liability Recommendation 32

The Civil Aviation Safety Authority reassesses the penalties in the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations.

INQ258 REC258-2558 E - Agency Organisation 12 - EM agency and authority Recommendation 33

The Civil Aviation Safety Authority applies a project management approach to the completion of all Civil Aviation Safety Regulation Parts not yet in force, with drafting to be completed within one year and consultation completed one year later, with:

INQ258 REC258-2559 C - Response 15 - Inter-service cooperation Recommendation 34

The Civil Aviation Safety Authority’s Director of Aviation Safety meet with industry sector leaders to jointly develop a plan for renewing a collaborative and effective Standards Consultative Committee.

INQ258 REC258-2560 E - Agency Organisation 29 - Operational Health and Safety Recommendation 35

The Civil Aviation Safety Authority devolve to Designated Aviation Medical Examiners the ability to renew aviation medical certificates (for Classes 1, 2, and 3) where the applicant meets the required standard at the time of the medical examination.

INQ258 REC258-2561 A - Responsibility 24 - Govt responsibility Recommendation 36

The Australian Government amends regulations so that background checks and the requirement to hold an Aviation Security Identification Card are only required for unescorted access to Security Restricted Areas, not for general airside access.

INQ258 REC258-2545 E - Agency Organisation 12 - EM agency and authority Recommendation 20

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau transfers its safety education function to the Civil Aviation Safety Authority.

INQ258 REC258-2544 D - Recovery 6 - Insurance and legal liability Recommendation 19

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau transfers information from Mandatory Occurrence Reports to the Civil Aviation Safety Authority, without redaction or de-identification.

INQ258 REC258-2543 D - Recovery 6 - Insurance and legal liability Recommendation 18

The Civil Aviation Safety Authority reintroduces a ‘use of discretion’ procedure that gives operators or individuals the opportunity to discuss and, if necessary, remedy a perceived breach prior to CASA taking any formal action.

INQ258 REC258-2527 E - Agency Organisation 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform Recommendation 2

The Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development plays a stronger policy role in the State Safety Program.

INQ258 REC258-2528 A - Responsibility 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review Recommendation 3

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau investigates as many fatal accidents in the sport and recreational aviation sector as its resources will allow.

INQ258 REC258-2529 E - Agency Organisation 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform Recommendation 4

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau and the Civil Aviation Safety Authority utilise the provision in their bilateral Memorandum of Understanding to accredit CASA observers to ATSB investigations.

INQ258 REC258-2530 A - Responsibility 24 - Govt responsibility Recommendation 5

The Australian Government appoints an additional Australian Transport Safety Bureau Commissioner with aviation operational and safety management experience.

INQ258 REC258-2531 E - Agency Organisation 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform Recommendation 6

The Civil Aviation Safety Authority’s Board exercises full governance control. The nonexecutive directors should possess a range of appropriate skills and backgrounds in aviation, safety, management, risk, regulation, governance and government.

INQ258 REC258-2532 E - Agency Organisation 12 - EM agency and authority Recommendation 7

The next Director of Aviation Safety has leadership and management experience and capabilities in cultural change of large organisations. Aviation or other safety industry experience is highly desirable.

INQ258 REC258-2533 E - Agency Organisation 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform Recommendation 8

The Civil Aviation Safety Authority:
a. reinstates publication of Key Performance Indicators for service delivery functions
b. conducts a stakeholder survey every two years to measure the health of its relationship with industry

INQ258 REC258-2534 E - Agency Organisation 16 - Training and behaviour Recommendation 9

The Civil Aviation Safety Authority develops a staff exchange program with industry.

INQ258 REC258-2535 E - Agency Organisation 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform Recommendation 10

Airservices Australia, in conjunction with the Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development and the Civil Aviation Safety Authority, reconsiders the policy on ‘Assessment of Priorities’ that stipulates that air traffic controllers sequence arriving aircraft based on category of operation

INQ258 REC258-2536 E - Agency Organisation 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform Recommendation 11

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau and the Civil Aviation Safety Authority amend the wording of their existing Memorandum of Understanding to make it more definitive about interaction, coordination, and cooperation.

INQ258 REC258-2537 E - Agency Organisation 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform Recommendation 12

The Civil Aviation Safety Authority delegates responsibility for the day-to-day operational management of airspace to Airservices Australia, including the designation of air routes, short term designations of temporary Restricted Areas, and temporary changes to the classification of airspace for

INQ258 REC258-2538 E - Agency Organisation 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform Recommendation 13

The Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development and Department of Defence (and appropriate agencies) establish an agreed policy position on safety oversight of civil operations into joint user and military airports.

INQ258 REC258-2539 A - Responsibility 35 - Business and Industry in relation to industry Recommendation 14

The Civil Aviation Safety Authority changes its regulatory philosophy and, together with industry, builds an effective collaborative relationship on a foundation of mutual understanding and respect.

INQ258 REC258-2540 D - Recovery 6 - Insurance and legal liability Recommendation 15

The Civil Aviation Safety Authority continues to provide appropriate indemnity to all industry personnel with delegations of authority.

INQ258 REC258-2541 E - Agency Organisation 16 - Training and behaviour Recommendation 16

The Civil Aviation Safety Authority finalises its Capability Framework and overhauls its training program to ensure identified areas of need are addressed, including:
a. communication in a regulatory context
b. decision making and good regulatory practice
c. auditing. 

INQ258 REC258-2542 E - Agency Organisation 16 - Training and behaviour Recommendation 17

The Civil Aviation Safety Authority publishes and demonstrates the philosophy of ‘just culture’ whereby individuals involved in a reportable event are not punished for actions, omissions or decisions taken by them that are commensurate with their experience and training.

INQ258 REC258-2562 E - Agency Organisation 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform Recommendation 37

The Civil Aviation Safety Authority amends the current Terms of Reference of the Industry Complaints Commissioner so that:
a. the ICC reports directly to the CASA Board
b. no CASA staff are excluded from the ICC’s jurisdiction