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The RAAA's Canberra Roadshow came to a close yesterday after two days of high-level speakers, award of two RAAA life memberships and a Parliament House networking function that included the Minister and Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development.

More than 100 delegates attended the roadshow at Canberra's Hotel Kurrajong, with the Australian Government’s Aviation White Paper, CASA regulation and security issues featuring strongly in both speaker presentations and RAAA member discussions.

The program covered a broad spectrum, from the just-released Aviation Green Paper and CASA regulatory changes to cyber security, Air Services Australia airspace updates and the post-COVID recovery of airports.

With the release of the Federal Government’s Aviation Green Paper last week, the Roadshow was fortunate to have Marisa Purvis-Smith, Deputy Secretary – Transport Group / Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and The Arts present to take delegates through the Green Paper and process for the coming Aviation White Paper.

Deputy Secretary Purvis-Smith described the Green Paper as "like a really large consultation paper", involving a series of detailed face to face, round table and virtual consultations over coming months.

Civil Aviation Safety Authority CEO Pip Spence updated the Association on recent regulatory changes, including the nearly-finalised first stage of the modular licensing structure proposal to address the industry’s shortage of new engineers. Under the proposal, engineers will gain a licence sooner (with limitations), and then add to the scope of their licence, removing the limitations.

The Roadshow included a networking function at Parliament House, attended by Federal Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government, the Hon. Catherine King, and Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development, Senator the Hon Bridget McKenzie.

During the evening, Minister King presented RAAA Lifetime Honorary Membership to industry stalwarts Tony Mathews and Roger Leach.

"This Roadshow was a great way to end the 2023 Roadshow series, with strong speakers talking about things that are issues right now, and plenty of feedback and opinion from our members," said RAAA CEO Steven Campbell.

"We were concerned that holding the Roadshow in a parliamentary sitting week might make some of our government speakers unavailable, but they all attended in person and were very generous with their time and commitment to the program."