Trying to investigate Qantas

Reporter: Laura Sparkes
Broadcast Date: September 05, 2008

For the past 13 months, Today Tonight has been fighting Qantas and authorities under Freedom of Information legislation to expose maintenance problems.

Michael McKinnon is the Seven Network's Freedom of Information editor.

He has been fighting government bureaucracy for seven years to uncover information in the name of public interest and said he has never seen a knock back like the one he got back from the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA).

"We have a situation where we're trying to get info about the safety of an airline and we're told we can't get that info because if it is released it's against the public interest because it will damage Qantas' reputation for safety," Michael said.

"Anyone who travels on a plane should be confident of the safety of an airline, confident that it's fulfilling its obligations in law in regards to maintenance and safety standards.

"I find it extraordinary that the government can argue the reason we can't tell you this is because you the public won't have the confidence in the organisation."

"It leads me to believe that the information would damage Qantas' reputation for safety, it must show or it should show I suspect there are significant problems with Qantas maintenance," Michael said.

A 10 page report was sent from Qantas to CASA explaining why the information should remain secret, claiming most of the documentation is of no interest to the public and that it would adversely affect Qantas' reputation.

Federal Secretary of the Australian Licenced Aircraft Engineers Association, Steve Purvenis, said he did not think the release of any documents would have any adverse effects.

"If people know what's going on and they know what's going on to correct those actions, well then there shouldn't be a problem," he said.

"CASA represents the Australian public and I don't see why there should be a brick wall put up between the information they obtain and the safety of Australian aircraft and what is actually released to the public."

The aircraft engineers are also fighting through Freedom of Information to gain knowledge on how CASA has audited the overseas maintenance facilities used by Qantas.

They too have been knocked back.