Re. “CASA v Qantas: justice delayed” (Friday, item 27). There’s lots more to this story. As the instigator of the “Launceston Incident Report” I can advise that CASA did everything in their power to quash this matter from the start.

Don’t [yet] blame the Commonwealth DPP for the delays. I first reported the matter in writing to the Director of the ATSB, as required by Aviation regulations. Due to his absence it took a few weeks for a reply which was that they had passed on the report to the CASA [probably too politically challenging for ATSB] CASA’s investigator was told by his [superiors] to “drop the matter”, this after several months of gathering evidence.

Within days, I was handed a “Show Cause” letter by CASA to shut me up! Under Freedom of Information nothing relating to this matter is available – not unusual, except that this time [they] claim the documentation doesn’t exists. It wasn’t until I met with Bruce Byron, the newly appointed CEO of the CASA, in 2003 that the matter was again taken up [Thanks Bruce].

Until this time the regime of Anderson, Toller, Anson, Gemmell and Illyk had managed to keep it all under wraps! So much for the other [concerned] CASA and Qantas Board members. To many this is not at all unexpected, when considering the affinity CASA et al had for Qantas, whilst plotting the demise of Ansett back in 2000/2001 under the direct guidance of the then Transport Minister, John Anderson.

In this context isn’t it strange that the A.D., basis for cancellation of the Ansett Air Operator Certificate, resulted in the issue of [the] Airworthiness Directive nearly two years after the fact and only after questions started to be asked? When was the DPP asked to take action against the individuals running Ansett at this time?

One wonders, was the abrupt end to the rescue of Ansett by the Tesna syndicate a coincidence or could there possibly be a connection between the “gifting” of Avalon and Essendon Airports to one of the parties? Maybe the “ex- minister for Qantas” could explain! Wasn’t he also involved in the Sales?