Fed: CASA president rejects Dick Smith s claims

AAP General News (Australia)
08-01-2000
Fed: CASA president rejects Dick Smith s claims

CANBERRA, Aug 1 AAP - Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) president Mick Toller
today rejected claims of infighting at the aviation watchdog.

Mr Toller also denied claims by millionaire businessman Dick Smith that the two major
domestic carriers were self regulating and no one at CASA would stand up to them.

"I'll stand up to the two majors any time that I'm required to stand up to the two
majors, I don't have any problems with that," he told the Nine Network.

Mr Toller said he could assure the public that CASA treated Qantas and Ansett and all
other airlines equally.

"They're treated as strongly as any airline in the world would be treated by their
regulator and I think the person to ask that question is (Qantas chief executive) James
Strong, I don't think he'd for one second say that we were being gentle on them," he said.

"We give them a tough time when they need a tough time."

It was important to recognise that airlines were not trying to do things wrong.

"The big airlines are out there trying to do it right, Qantas and Ansett and the smaller
regional airlines depend on having a good safety record, they're not going to do things
that put that at jeopardy," Mr Toller said.

He said there was no bureaucratic infighting in CASA.

"We're getting stronger, we're coming back from a tough time in the early 90s and I
think that what we are providing Australia with now is a strong credible organisation
that is responsible for aviation safety in Australia."

Mr Toller also rejected claims that he had been instructed by Transport Minister John
Anderson to keep a lid on things.

AAP eg/bdm

KEYWORD: CASA TOLLER

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