The following statement was provided to The Australian newspaper on 30 May 2023 in relation to questions about our Board’s engagement with industry in Darwin in 2021.
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CASA has robust conflict of interest processes in place for staff and Board members which ensure that any perceived or actual conflict is appropriately managed.
The applications allowing collection of crocodile eggs were not exemptions but renewals of long-standing approvals held by a number of operators. They were handled as a routine matter by a CASA staff member.
CASA issues more than 200 approvals and authorisations each year to operators. We also issue around 100 exemptions to operators.
CASA’s Conflict of Interest (COI) Policy applies to all Board members and our staff. It outlines what is required to ensure actual or perceived conflict of interest are managed appropriately. The policy is published on our website.
Conflicts of interest by staff are regularly reviewed and where something is declared, this is reviewed by the manager as well as CASA’s legal team to see whether the conflict can be appropriately managed. This includes requirements for staff to declare COIs at the time of employment as well as other key touchpoints.
Board members are required to declare specific conflicts of interest at each Board meeting with respect to any matters that the Board will consider or make decisions on.
Board members have no role in CASA’s decision-making processes relating to applications or approvals.
The gifts and benefits register which CASA publishes includes detail about gifts or benefits received where the estimated value is greater than $100.
The CASA CEO and Board member who flew to Bathurst Island on a scheduled airline service on 21 June 2021 to better understand the types of aircraft used for remote air services did not leave the airport before they flew back to Darwin. These flights were paid for by CASA.