PROMINENT Australian businessman Dick Smith has thrown down the gauntlet to Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce, vowing to back his rival, Tony Windsor, if he doesn’t take urgent action to deregulate the small- to medium-sized aviation industry.
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A meeting of aviation industry representatives in Tamworth yesterday heard smaller aviation businesses had five years left if the industry wasn’t reformed and deregulated.
Aviation Advertiser chief executive Benjamin Morgan organised the meeting at Tamworth Regional Airport as a call to action for the industry as a federal election looms.
Mr Morgan had previously written to MPs, pushing for changes to the Civil Aviation Safety Authority’s regulatory framework.
“Excessive regulations are forcing operators to the wall,” he told the meeting.
“As an industry, we are almost unanimous as to where the problems stem from.”
He said this was forcing a wipeout of the industry.
“Our industry is in decline because both Labor and Liberal governments have failed at almost every level at providing a regulatory framework that allows for growth and prosperity,” he said.
Mr Morgan wants MPs to sit with those in the aviation industry and make wide-ranging and rapid regulatory reform.
“We only have about five years before there is so much damage done that it hits the tipping point and we can’t repair it,” he said.
He said those impacted the most would be regional and remote communities that had small to medium aviation operators as their link.
Mr Smith said New England MP Barnaby Joyce could be the industry’s saviour.
He said there were a range of prohibitive regulations for pilots of light aircraft, such as mandatory inspections for Cessnas that had owners investing more than what the aircraft were worth.
Mr Smith said he blamed the National Party for allowing bureaucrats to bring in these regulations through CASA, but said he was impressed with Transport Minister Darren Chester.
“Previously, ministers have been not tough enough and have been manipulated by bureaucrats, but I’m hoping Darren won’t be manipulated by bureaucrats,” he said.
“It’s almost at the point where it’s not saveable, but I’m hoping Barnaby will be ruthless and fire a few people and put some good people in. If they do nothing in the next four or five months, I’m going to come up and support Tony Windsor.”
Mr Windsor said industry representatives needed to find points of unity and use them to advance their position.
“It is time that all interested parties sit at the table to develop workable solutions to enable this vital industry to prosper, and crucially, to stimulate regional development,” he said.
Mr Joyce was at a cabinet meeting in Perth and could not attend the meeting, but welcomed the aviation industry to Tamworth.
“I'm eager to support an industry that contributes vital employment and facilitates business in regional communities,” Mr Joyce said.
