KEY POINTS:
The dysfunction and dissent at the Civil Aviation Authority, highlighted in a report released yesterday, will be relegated to the past, the new director of the aviation watchdog promises.
In the past few weeks authority director John Jones has retired, chairman Ron Tannock has resigned, and his deputy, Hazel Armstrong, has decided against seeking a third term. Further changes to the board are expected.
The authority has been the subject of several damning reports, notably from the Office of the Auditor-General. Christchurch coroner Richard McElrea's findings on the 2003 Air Adventures crash, which killed eight people, intensified calls for senior figures to resign.
Yesterday an independent, authority-commissioned report dating from June was released. It highlighted differences between the then director and his senior managers, reluctance by staff to take on board recommendations from previous reports, and "considerable tension" between the authority and the director.
Former Maritime New Zealand director Russell Kilvington, who last month was appointed the authority's interim director, yesterday said the organisation was in transition with a new management team and new chairman, professional director Rick Bettle.
"There's a lot of good in this report and the problems are clearly known, clearly understood, and it is my genuine belief there is a will collectively to sort it."
Mr Kilvington said the report had highlighted several areas which the authority needed to address.
"In my observations of the place over the first three weeks, firstly there are stunningly able technical people with talent, skill and passion for safety to burn, but secondly people with quite an ability to talk past each other and not see the bigger picture for all the reactive problems they're trying to solve, generally on their own."
National's transport spokesman, Maurice Williamson, said the report highlighted a lack of clear direction in management and a need to focus more on safety targets.
"All too often the CAA responds with a 'we're working on it' type of comment.
"It's time they actually did."
