The LNP State Council has passed a motion calling on the Federal Government to review the impact of recently introduced regulations on pilot licences.

“It has become clear that CASA had not done enough consultation with the helicopter mustering industry and they must go back to the drawing board with these regulations. I fully support a review occurring.

“These new regulations try to align Australia’s pilot training requirements with international standards. The problem is the remoteness and dangers of helicopter mustering are largely unique to Australia and the international standards have not factored that in.

“I have heard too many concerns relating to the costs of additional training requirements and the potentially dangerous consequences of the naivety in the design of some of these requirements.

“For example, a conference in Darwin was recently told that flight review in a helicopter one has to enter a negative G situation, recognise it, and perform a recovery. This could cause the death of both pilots.

“Ultimately, all of these costs will be passed on to the northern beef industry and eat into already meagre profits.

“The original Regulatory Impact Statement contained just three paragraphs about the impact of the changes on helicopter mustering. The Government has the power to order a post-implementation review if a regulatory impact assessment was inadequate.

“The Government should order the Office of Best Practice Regulation to carry out such a review so there an undue burden is not placed on our northern beef industry.”