Trans-Tasman Mutual Recognition Act (TTMRA)
The Trans-Tasman Mutual Recognition Act 1997 is an agreement made between the governments of New Zealand (NZ) and Australia for the recognition within either country of each others' regulatory standards relating to goods and occupations.
This agreement means that with the exception of a few exclusions and exemptions, all goods and business regulatory standards adopted in NZ will be recognised within Australian as if they were Australian standards and vice versa. From an aviation perspective, this means that a NZ aircraft maintenance engineer licence will be a basis upon which the holder will be given the Australian equivalent, ie an Australian AME licence. However, the TTMRA does not allow the use of a NZ licence as though it were an Australian AME licence.
Before an Australian licence can be issued, NZ AME licence holders will be required to satisfy all requirements for registration under terms of the TTMRA which includes passing the Australian Airworthiness Administration (AA) examination. Also, due to differences between the NZ and Australian AME licence rating privileges certain NZ AME licence ratings, when translated onto an Australian AME licence, will be limited and not the same as the rating normally issued.
Further information regarding the TTMRA and the registration process for NZ AME licence holders can be obtained by contacting the Maintenance Personnel Standards Section in Canberra.
Email: ame.licensing@casa.gov.au
Aircraft Maintenance Engineering in Australia and the Trans Tasman Mutual Recognition Act 1997
A ruling has been made by CASA's Office of Legal Counsel (OLC) on the 'Equivalence of maintenance occupations' for the purpose of TTMRA.