The Civil Aviation Authority is encouraging New Zealand’s aviation community and interested members of the public to have their say about the Civil Aviation Bill currently before Parliament.
Submissions are now open on the Bill which has been referred to the Parliament’s Transport and Infrastructure Select Committee for its review.
Director of Civil Aviation Keith Manch says the Bill will be of considerable interest to the aviation sector as it is a significant update to the legal framework underpinning New Zealand’s aviation system. While the primary purpose of the Bill is to support safety and security, it also has additional purposes in relation to environmental sustainability, economic prosperity and inclusive access which go beyond the role of the Civil Aviation Authority.
“There are a range of provisions in this Bill which will be of interest to the aviation community, including around the introduction of drug and alcohol management plans, amended regulatory powers for CAA inspectors, when the Director of Civil Aviation may take enforcement action, protection of flight data recordings and different financial penalty levels,” Mr Manch said.
“Members of the public may also be interested in the Bill, which includes provisions granting officers increased powers to manage drone activity, such as seizing drones in certain circumstances, outlines offences and penalties relating to unruly passengers, and details airlines’ liabilities for lost and damaged baggage.
“It’s been many years since this legislation which establishes New Zealand’s aviation safety and security regulatory settings has been comprehensively reviewed, so this represents an important opportunity for people to have their say about these things and more in respect to the future of aviation in New Zealand.”
Public submissions are open on the Bill until 2 December 2021. Please see Parliament’s website(external link) for information about how to make a submission on the Bill.
Please contact the CAA media team for further information:
027 763 0000 | media@caa.govt.nz
This news item was updated on 26 October to reflect the extension of the submission period to 2 December 2021.
