Mr Jull asked the Minister representing the Minister for Shipping and Aviation Support, upon notice, on 9 October 1990:

(1) What are the present regulations concerning the consumption of alcohol by commercial airline pilots in Australia.

(2) What provisions enable officers of the Civil Aviation Authority to randomly breath test commercial airline pilots.

(3) How many times were pilots randomly breath tested (a) in 1989 and (b) to October in 1990.

Mr Beazley —The Minister for Shipping and Aviation Support has supplied the following answer to the honourable member's question:

(1) The current legislation regarding the consumption of alcohol by commercial airline pilots in Australia relate back to Regulation 256. This regulation states that a person shall not, whilst in a state of intoxication, enter any aircraft and that a person acting as a member of an operating crew of an aircraft shall not be in a state which would impair his or her capacity to act. The regulations also provide that a person shall not act or perform any duties or functions relating to operating an aircraft if that person has, during the period of 8 hours immediately preceding the departure of the aircraft, consumed any alcoholic liquor.

(2) There are no provisions available in the Civil Aviation Regulations currently in force which give authority to random breath testing of commercial airline pilots or any aircrew.

(3) In light of the previous comment there have been no pilots randomly breath tested by the CAA.