Transport Minister Anthony Albanese has blasted the Coalition for supporting a disallowance motion put forward by independent Senator Nick Xenophon which has again defeated changes by the government to cockpit access regulations.
“Twice now this government has, on the advice of security experts, attempted to put in place regulations which restrict access to only those with an operational, safety, security or training reason to be in the cockpit, closing a dangerous loophole in the nation’s aviation security laws,” said Minister Albanese.
“In a move that defies logic, the federal coalition – with support from the Greens and independents – has again removed these legal restrictions, leaving Australians to rely on industry self-regulation.”
The changes to the Australian Transport Regulations have been opposed by Xenophon and the Australian and International Pilots Association (AIPA), which have argued that they would prevent off-duty pilots from sitting in the flightdeck, potentially reducing safety. They have also argued that the regulations would change responsibility for cockpit access from the operator to the individual pilots sets a “dangerous precedent” for other countries.
