McCormack introduces new Bill to reduce impact of aircraft safety regulations

New laws designed to reduce the impact of aviation safety regulations on aircraft operators will be introduced in parliament today.

New laws designed to reduce the impact of aviation safety regulations on aircraft operators will be introduced. Picture: Darren Leigh Roberts

New laws designed to reduce the impact of aviation safety regulations on aircraft operators will be introduced to federal parliament today.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Transport Michael McCormack said the Civil Aviation Safety Amendment Bill was developed in response to direct feedback from the general aviation community concerned about the rising cost of compliance.

He said it was imperative regulators struck the right balance between risk and regulation.

“We are introducing this Bill to allow the government to continue to ensure CASA considers the economic impact on aircraft operators and communities when developing legislative aviation safety standards,” Mr McCormack said.

“It is designed to support a regulatory environment which continues to maintain confidence in the safety of aviation in Australia without unnecessarily restricting innovation and growth.”

He said safety would still be the most important consideration for CASA when developing legislative safety standards.

“But it will also take into consideration the cost, something I know is a key priority for our aviation sector,” said Mr McCormack.

“I would like to thank shadow minister for transport Anthony Albanese for his bipartisan support.”

Royal Flying Doctor Service chief executive and General Aviation Advisory Group chair Martin Laverty said the Bill was well balanced.

“It responds to general aviation’s request for the aviation regulator to consider economic impacts but retains safety of flyers and the community alike as CASA’s first and dominant purpose,” Dr Laverty said.

Regional Aviation Association of Australia chief executive Mike Higgins also welcomed the initiative as a “first step” in reviewing some of the broader legacy issues in the Civil Aviation Act.

“The industry is hopeful that any future government will continue on this path as it will ensure the ongoing sustainability of the smaller regional operators,” Mr Higgins said.

Aviation veteran and former CASA chairman Dick Smith said he had worked all his life to balance safety with cost when developing new regulations.

But he was reserving his opinion of the changes until he saw the final wording.