Solve Casa Or Risk Major Crash: Smith
Sydney Morning Herald
Monday July 31, 2000
The Whyalla Airlines crash which claimed eight lives would be repeated unless the Federal Government solved continuing bureaucratic problems in the Civil Aviation Safety Authority, according to former chairman Mr Dick Smith.
An angry Mr Smith predicted that there would be a ``major airline accident" unless the CASA board was given hands-on powers to control staff and decision-making.
He made his assertions in a letter sent on Friday to the Federal Minister for Transport, Mr Anderson the latest in a series of terse confrontations between the pair since Mr Smith resigned from CASA last year.
In the letter, Mr Smith claimed that Mr Anderson would not allow him to speak publicly about his concerns.
He said he met Mr Anderson in the minister's Gunnedah offices on January 19 last year after the release of a report into the Aquatic Air disaster at Berowra Waters.
``You refused to allow the CASA board to be more hands-on to fix the problems," Mr Smith wrote.
``I warned you at the time that unless this happened there would most likely be further disasters of a similar kind. You even insisted that I could not state publicly that the problems in CASA had not been resolved.
``The Whyalla Airlines crash has now occurred and it looks as if eight people have needlessly lost their lives.
``I say needlessly because it is becoming obvious through the AAT hearing in Adelaide that the problems (of which CASA were aware) with Whyalla Airlines had continued. I told you that if the board was not hands-on that we would end up with more accidents like Seaview and Monarch.
``I now tell you that if you do not reverse your policy of appeasement and consensus we will have a major airline accident."
A spokesman for Mr Anderson rejected Mr Smith's allegations, accusing him of twisting what was said by Mr Anderson at the Gunnedah meeting, including the assertion that the minister had tried to prevent him from speaking publicly.
``We have minutes to show that Mr Smith has told a number of untruths about the Gunnedah meeting," the spokesman said. ``Given that, his credibility must be questioned."
The spokesman said the minister had not ordered Mr Smith not to speak publicly, but had advised against ``bagging" aviation authorities, including CASA and the Australian Transport Safety Board, because of low morale.
FACT FILE
Struck by turbulence
* Mr Dick Smith resigned from CASA in March 1999 after a fallout with chief executive Mr Mick Toller.
* Whyalla Airlines Piper Chieftain crashed into the Spencer Gulf just after 7pm on May 31, killing all eight people on board.
* Mr Smith was chairman in 1997 when CASA removed Whyalla Airlines' chief pilot Mr Kym Brougham from his position.
* The Administrative Apeals Tribunal is now holding hearings into CASA's decision to ground Whyalla Airlines while the company addresses safety worries.
© 2000 Sydney Morning Herald
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