Upcoming Federal Election - 2016

[Horatio Leafblower]

Hi Team,

I would like to take a poll:

If you had the option of a General Aviation Senate candiate in your state, would you vote for him (or her?)

- YES
- YES but depends on policy statements
- Maybe
- No

[Stikman]

It's a YES from me.

[gerry111]

Yes.

Thinking of throwing your hat in the ring, H.L.?

[Horatio Leafblower]

gerry111 I have a certain level of involvement and interest that has led to writing a few policy papers for a certain minor party.

We need to gauge the interest levels, given the looming election.

[Ex FSO GRIFFO]

Its a YES from moi aussi...

However, which electorate (s)..??

[Lead Balloon]

Yes.

But any campaign to that effect must be backed up by another message: No matter how else you vote, do NOT vote for or let your preference go to the Labor or Coalition candidate.

The more Senators there are with the quaint view that their job is to represent their constituents and promote the objective public interest, the better. For all their chest thumping and fist waving about aviation regulation and accident investigation, the Laborial Senators haven't once walked into the Senate and voted to change thing one about the festering problems In aviation regulation and accident investigation they've identified.

If everyone continues to vote for tweedle dumb or tweedle dumber, they both win and they both continue to abdicate all responsibility for aviation.

[Ex FSO GRIFFO]

Agreed Leadie, but we can vote only for the candidate in our particular electorate.
I happen to live in a 'marginal one' and I remind the sitting member of that whenever I get 'cranky'......

Cheers

[Lead Balloon]

HL is talking about the Senate.

I can assure you that you'll have plenty of non Laborial candidates to choose from.

Forget the House of Reps. It's an amusing sideshow, but a sideshow nonetheless.

[glenb]

Election

Absolutely, and I will throw my full support behind it. Make it happen. Ill put my money where my mouth is. Where do I invest. Quite seriously, if we miss the next election it will definitely be too late. I doubt there will be a Country flying school remaining in a few years, and a lot less city schools.

[Horatio Leafblower]

Ex FSO Griffo

However, which electorate (s)..??

Senators are voted in on a STATE basis.

Each State has TWELVE senators, of whom SIX are up for election each poll.

The trick is, this year, there might be a Double Dissolution which means EVERY lower house (aka House of Reps - Or in England, the House of Commons) and every Senate seat (aka the Upper House or in England, the House of Lords) will be spilt and open.

The major parties are trying to get rid of people like Ricky Muir, Jacqui Lambie, David Leyonhelm etc to lock in major "brands" like the Greens, Xenophon and of course the Libs/Nats/Labor. That's another topic.

I would just like to see a Centerist senator in there who can negotiate with the major parties to ensure the following:

1/. a Parliamentary Secretary for Aviation under the Minister for Transport (however styled);
2/. A review of CASA administrative functions to streamline commercial functions (ie: adding aircraft types, AOC applications, permissions, Check and training approvals etc);
3/. lots of other things.

We have to accept that CASA is a commercial regulator AND a safety regulator; but in line with the Government's rhetoric about creating jobs and innovation, we need to run a razor through the bloated commercial-regulation processes.

This might allow FOIs to spend more time sitting at airports ensuring operational safety, rather than being paperwork warriors.

This needs commitment and political will from the top. I am fearful that we are already too late.

My hypothesis is that if EVERY pilot, Engineer, LAME, AME, student, aircraft owner and aviation enthusiast in NSW votes 1 for [INSERT CANDIDATE NAME HERE], they will come VERY close to a Senate quota.

[Pinky the pilot]

Fk yeah!!

Anyone noted that Dick Smith has stated that he will stand in Bronny's constituency if she is re-endorsed as the Liberal candidate?

That Woman has not only passed her use-by date; she has well and truly 'gone off!"

[mcgrath50]

- YES but depends on policy statements

Aviation is important to me but I have views on employment law, health, education, taxation, welfare etc. etc.

Wherever you sit on them you'll end up in my preferences somewhere. How high though depends on the whole policy of your party.

[Horatio Leafblower]

Double Dissolution

I must also point out -

If there is a double dissolution election, you only need HALF as many votes (1/12 of the vote, not 1/6th) to secure a seat.

In NSW the population is 7,565,500 so we need to find 638,000 aviation enthusiasts.

[Capn Bloggs]

Yes and gawd help us all...

[Jabawocky]

YES……..so long as they support David Lyonheljm on firearm reform and not the LIB/ALP bastards and Greens.

[gerry111]

H.L.


I also noted that there was a bit of action in federal parliament today to limit preference flows for minor party Senate candidates.


Perhaps a bit of insurance just in case there's a Double Dissolution election?


Or simply to get rid of the likes of Jacqui Lambie and Ricky Muir etc?


I'm a NSW voter so would be happy to put such a candidate as "1" above the line. But that option isn't always available to voters on the Senate ballot paper.

[Square Bear]

HL


Lets have a look at what is registered:

Sustainable Australia,21st Australian Party, Animal Justice Party, Australian Christians, Australian Cyclists Party, Australian Equality Partners (Marriage), Australian Motoring Enthusiast Party, Australian Progressive Party, Bullet Train for Australia, Christian Democratic Party (Fred Nile), Drug Law Reform of Australia, Help End Marijuana Prohibition, National Medicine Party, Non Custodial Parents Party (Equal Patenting), Outdoor Recreation Party (Stop the Greens), Pirate Party, Rise Up Australian Party, Science Party, Secular Party of Australia, Senator Online (Internet Voting / Bills issues), Shooters and Fishers Party, Smokers Rights Party, Socialist Alliance, Socialist Equality Party, Arts Party, Voluntary Euthanasia Party.

For the sake of "brevity" I left out parties such at Palmer United etc etc.

Do tell why I would wish to vote for a General Aviation Party Person so he/she may get a salary of $200,000 and in all likelihood do SWA for the cause, just like all the other small party people seem to do for their own cause.

However, It is better than getting the Dole.

[Horatio Leafblower]

Square Bear,

That's a lot of parties - but how many of them have a seat?

Without a seat, how can they do anything?

Without your vote, how can they get a seat?

There has long been a strange thouht process amongst Australian voters along the lines of:

"I like their policies but I won't vote for [minor party] because they're only a minor party, so it's a wasted vote".

The ALP and the Libs/Nats will get plenty of votes but they have already demonstrated their level of interest in GA. If that is the level of interest YOU think GA deserves, by all means continue to vote for the major parties.

[LeadSled]

We have to accept that CASA is a commercial regulator AND a safety regulator;

Horatio,
If you have a read of the Civil Aviation Act 1988, you will find it is specifically barred from being a commercial regulator. It is a Safety regulator.

Which make a bunch of terms in the Part 121/135 interesting, as they relate specifically to commercial regulation on the point that the Act was changed to preclude. In fact, some necessary consequential amendments to the existing CARs were never made.

So I guess CASA is no more likely to read its own Act, or just ignore it when it so chooses.

Tootle pip!!

[Ex FSO GRIFFO]

Thankyou, both of you.....

Cheers