CASA Media Release - Thursday, 24 May 2001
Administrative fines for breaches of aviation regulations
The Civil Aviation Safety Authority is set to introduce a system of administrative fines for breaches of the Civil Aviation Regulations.
The system will see infringement notices issued and monetary fines imposed for breaches of the regulations not involving serious safety matters.
The CASA Board recently agreed that the scheme be brought in on 1 July 2001.
CASA's Director of Aviation Safety, Mick Toller, says the use of administrative fines represents a new direction for CASA in the enforcement of the Civil Aviation Regulations.
"The administrative fines scheme is intended to provide CASA with an additional enforcement tool in circumstances where neither prosecution nor suspension action is warranted but some formal enforcement action is justified," Mr Toller said.
Under the scheme, CASA will be able to issue infringement notices for fines ranging from $110 to $550 in respect of contraventions of the regulations.
An individual or organisation issued with an infringement notice can pay the fine, thereby disposing of the matter, or elect to have the matter dealt with by the criminal court system.
"To this extent the administrative fines scheme will operate in much the same way as existing schemes for motor vehicle speeding infringements" Mr Toller said.
For consistency purposes, the issue of infringement notices will be centralised. Only CASA's Manager, Enforcement and Investigations, will be authorised to issue infringement notices in the first instance.
Mr Toller said the fines are not intended, and will not be used, to raise revenue.
"The use of administrative fines will leave CASA more time to concentrate its limited resources on investigating offences involving the safety of fare paying passenger operations."
CASA will publish details of infringement notices issued in relation to contraventions by holders of Air Operator Certificates and Certificates of Approval on its web site.
Details of the administrative fines.
Media contact
Jane Dargaville
ph 02 6217 1233
mobile 0419 296 446
Ref: MR 025