Earlier this month, Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Catherine King issued the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) with a new Statement of Expectations (SoE).
The document, updated from the last one in 2023, lays out the what the minister expects from CASA for the next two years, and reflects changes in policy contained in the 2024 Aviation White Paper.
Primarily, the 2025 SoE details CASA's responsibilities around governance and management, but also sets strategic directions that include placing aviation safety as the primary consideration, and outlines key initiatives for the next two years.
In the letter, King has said she expects CASA to be an effective, responsible and transparent regulator that stayed in close contact with the department, managed skill gaps and dealt with conflicts of interest.
King also charged CASA with fully considering the impact of regulation on GA, particularly in remote and regional areas of Australia, and to have a published regulatory philosophy that it adhered to.
Among the key initiatives, King has tasked CASA to:
- release exposure drafts of proposed regulation for consultation
- provide an annual regulatory program that includes stakeholder consideration
- work with the Department of Defence and Airservices to develop OneSKY
- facilitate integrating RPAS and AAM, and provide proportionate regulatory oversight
- provide oversight of major aerodrome projects and advise the department on developments at leased federal airports
- share agreed information with the ATSB
- work with the Australian Space Agency to advance space industry policies
- assist the department to develop options for CASA's long-term financial sustainability
- work with the department on appropriate mutual recognition and bilateral agreements
- deliver initiatives from the 2024 Aviation White Paper that are CASA's responsibility
- apply sufficient resources to the Office of Industry Complaints Commissioner within CASA
- conduct regular surveillance activities in accordance with the Civil Aviation Act 1988.
The SoE concludes with a specific section on stakeholder engagement, which commits CASA to engage transparently with stakeholders, the aviation community, the department and bodies such as Airservices Australia, the ATSB and the Department of Defence.
Statements of Expectations are legislative documents that the government issues to statutory bodies such as CASA to provide direction and clarity on policy. They complement legislation covering civil aviation, airspace and airports.
The full CASA SoE is available on the Federal Register of Legislation.