Senator O'BRIEN —My question is to Senator Macdonald, the Minister representing the Minister for Transport and Regional Services. Does the minister have complete confidence in the board of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority and its administration of air safety in Australia? Can the minister confirm that the CASA board has appointed Mr Stephen Skehill to conduct an internal inquiry into the appointment of a then CASA board member, Mr Laurie Foley, to the staff position of Assistant Director, Aviation Safety Compliance? Does the minister support the board's decision to initiate this private, internal review of the process that led to the appointment of Mr Laurie Foley to this $150,000 a year position? Why has the minister endorsed what was intended to be a secret, internal, CASA controlled inquiry into the Foley appointment rather than initiated an open and independent investigation of his own? Will the minister provide the Senate with a copy of the terms of reference for the internal CASA inquiry before we rise this evening? Can the minister assure the Senate that a full report of the CASA inquiry will be tabled in the parliament as soon as possible after that investigation is completed?

Senator IAN MACDONALD (Regional Services, Territories and Local Government) —The government has appointed good people to the board of CASA. CASA has an independent board, as Senator O'Brien would be aware, and we believe the board has appointed a good chief executive officer. The government has every confidence in the judgment of the board and has no intention of intervening. That having been said, I am aware that concerns have been raised about the proced ure that CASA has followed in its appointment of Mr Laurie Foley as Assistant Director for Aviation Safety Compliance. Senator O'Brien went through this particular issue at some length in Senate estimates questions just a month or so back. Mr Foley is an employee of CASA, and he is entitled to be treated with procedural fairness—a point that Senator O'Brien has clearly forgotten. As Senator O'Brien said, CASA has commissioned Mr Stephen Skehill to review the process that led to his appointment. Mr Anderson has been briefed on the review and has asked for a copy of Mr Skehill's report after it has been considered by the CASA board. We do have confidence in the CASA board and the judgments they make on these issues. We will see a copy of Mr Skehill's report after it has been considered by the CASA board, and it will be up to Mr Anderson what he makes available following the receipt of that report.

Senator O'BRIEN —Madam President, I ask a supplementary question. I press the minister on the question of supplying a copy of the terms of reference to the Senate this evening and undertaking to supply a full report of the CASA inquiry and ask that he take that up with the minister today. Further, is the minister aware that Mr Laurie Foley applied for the position of south-east regional manager with the authority 18 months prior to his appointment to the CASA board in May 1997? Is the minister aware that Mr Foley was interviewed by a properly constituted selection panel for that regional management position but failed to finish in the top three? Given that Mr Foley was not considered to be in the top three candidates for a regional manager position prior to his appointment to the CASA board, can the minister explain how Mr Foley could possibly be appointed to the very senior position of Assistant Director, Aviation Safety Compliance, a position significantly senior to that which he failed to achieve at proper interview process?

Senator IAN MACDONALD (Regional Services, Territories and Local Government) —In response to the questions, I am not aware of those matters that Senator O'Brien has raised. I might also say that I would need some better verification of the facts alleged by Senator O'Brien before I would take them too serious ly. I wonder where you get all that from. Is it perhaps from Jack Lake, who ad nauseam keeps handing you questions at estimates committees? I would not accept in any way the facts that Senator O'Brien alleges in asking the question. I will ask Mr Anderson whether he wants to seek any terms of reference from the Civil Aviation Safety Authority. If Mr Anderson is prepared to do that and CASA is prepared to provide them, I will get back to you. Otherwise, of course, I will not.