Senator O'Brien asked the Minister representing the Minister for Transport and Regional Services, upon notice, on 6 November 2002:

With reference to Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) instrument number 53.99/00, the Approval under Civil Aviation Order section 82.0, issued on 12 January 2000:

(1) What qualifications were required by Pilot Special Constable Pek Ha [ARN 537160] to perform the functions delegated to him.

(2) Specifically, what qualifications and experience are required to carry out pilot emergency training and testing under Civil Aviation Order 20.11 Appendix IV.

(3) (a) What processes were followed by CASA officers to satisfy themselves that Constable Pek Ha was appropriately qualified; (b) who undertook those checks; (c) when were the checks undertaken; and (d) what were the results of those checks.

(4) What were the other company standards for operations conducted under the company's Air Operators Certificate (AOC) referred to in the above instrument.

(5) What qualifications and experience are required to satisfactorily perform these other company standards for operations conducted under that AOC.

Senator Ian Macdonald (Minister for Fisheries, Forestry and Conservation) —The Minister for Transport and Regional Services has provided the following answer to the honourable senator's question:

The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) has provided the following advice.

(1) to (5) The matters referred to in the question are currently the subject of a Coronial Inquiry. It would be inappropriate and prejudicial to the conduct of the inquiry to respond to questions which are central to its proceedings.