CASA to bring no money to table in Danielle Wilson, Matt Wright chopper crash mediation talks

The regulator’s lawyer said there were ‘quite complex matters in dispute in this case’, including the ‘unclear circumstances as to why (the helicopter) crashed’. Find out the latest.

Chris Wilson’s widow and Danielle is suing the Civil Aviation Safety Authority, Matt Wright and Helibrook in the Federal Court over his death.

Danielle Wilson will proceed to mediation with her late husband’s Netflix co-star Matt Wright and the Civil Aviation Safety Authority despite the regulator saying it will not bring any money to the table.

Ms Wilson is suing CASA and Mr Wright, along with his company Helibrook, in the Federal Court for “nervous shock” following Chris Wilson’s death in a chopper crash while collecting crocodile eggs in 2022.

On Friday, CASA lawyer Thomas Miller told the court the regulator had “reservations about the status of the evidence and whether or not CASA would be able to attend to make monetary offers”.

“We wrote to the other parties earlier and in advance of mediation saying we would be attending in good faith with a view to trying to narrow the issues in dispute,” he said.

“And to try and chart a pathway forward to expeditiously resolve the matter but that we would not likely be attending for the purpose of making monetary offers of settlement.

“Given the restrictions in relation to the payment of moneys under the legal services directions.”

Mr Miller said there were “quite complex matters in dispute in this case”, including the “unclear circumstances as to why (the helicopter) crashed”.

“There is a novel duty of care alleged against CASA as regulator, that it should have taken different actions as regulator,” he said.

“The existence of the duty of care is very much in issue, the scope and content of that duty which is alleged to exist is very much in issue.

Outback Wrangler Matt Wright outside the Supreme Court in March. Picture: Jason Walls

“They’re all matters about which there would need to be, I would have thought, some expert evidence going to key aspects of the case including liability and causation.”

Counsel for Mr Wright, Darryn Kelly, said while the first respondent “turning up not offering money” could have been “a major impediment” to the talks, if Ms Wilson was happy to proceed, his client was “content to attend the mediation”.

“Agreeing to attend a mediation carries with it some implications and it came as a shock to me and to those who instruct me when a letter arrives saying ‘Well we’ll turn up but we’re not going to be offering anything’,” he said.

“(But) we still see some merit in the parties getting together.”

Ms Wilson’s barrister, Matthew Kalyk, said the suggestion CASA was “prohibited from making monetary offers” prior to the service of evidence “just can’t be right”.

But he said “there still seems to be some utility in that process taking place” next week.

“In any event, if that’s the position that they adopt, we can’t force them to change that, it may be they play little role in the mediation itself and the focus is on the other parties,” he said.