Inquiry urged into aviation differences

Press, 31 October 1979, Page 12

Inquiry urged into aviation differences

PA Auckland ' A full inquiry into differences betw'een the aviation ' industry and the Ministry of Transport “unless they can be speedily resolved.” has been urged by Mr I. G. Ward, president of the Aviation Industry Association. Commenting on proponents of delicensing. Mr Ward also said that to abol- ; ish either licensing or reguI lation of the industry would I be disastrous. Mr Ward, who told the association’s annual conference at Auckland that con’ i sulfation was essential before the Ministry’s Civil I Aviation Division made deci|sions, found himself supported at least generally by I the Minister of Transport (Mr McLachlan). I Mr Ward said it was un-i I fortunate a split had developed over regulations. I “For some time a state of i confusion, frustration and (procrastination has existed, I severely affecting production (and costing the industry and ; the taxpayers tens of thouI sands, if not millions, of dol-

lars. Now I believe a conflict of personalities, and mistrust, has also developed,” he said. On licensing, Mr Ward said that in spite of repeated representations over many years, the Air Services Licensing Act still had a loophole permitting certain types of aviation firms to work without a licence. “Surely this makes a mockery of licensing," he said. Mr McLachlan. who opened the conference after Mr Ward made his remarks, referred to the present review of licensing and said he could not see the Ministry’s abolishing licensing, al-: though many people were saying it would. “There is a need to review it and cut a lot of dead wood out of it,” Mr McLachlan said. “But nothing will be done unless you are consulted.” Commenting on the recent controversial Civil - Aviation' safety regulations known as C.A.S.O. 12. Mr McLachlan remarked that“a lot of

problems that came out of this can be resolved if we can get around the table.” To undertake full consultation with the industry and others affected by the licensing review would preclude legislative changes this Parliamentary session. Mr McLachlan said. Referring to third-level airlines, he said there were ‘•so many misunderstandings.” New Zealand could no longer afford big aircraft on the wrong sectors, cutting down frequencies, Mr McLachlan said. His aim was to bring in smaller firms on some sectors and have Air New Zealand assist them with sales and marketing. In his annual report. Mr Ward had said, that while third-level airlines awaited an Air New Zealand report on their sector, they were “struggling to exist in the hope that rationalisation . . . 'will enable them ultimately to offer their services to the public in a similar format to That overseas.”