Is it always right to be right?

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Is it always right to be right?
Alan Ross AK Ross Associates Pty Ltd Kangaroo
Ground Victoria Australia
QR
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Is it always right to be right?

• Where should the line be drawn with respect to
  overly prescriptive and nanny style regulation?

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Co-regulation

• The Regulator works with the industry on an equal
  footing, to seek continuous improvement in safety
  and a step change in safety culture

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Trends practices - safety regulation
Drawing the line with respect to overly
prescriptive, nanny like safety regulation
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Rail Safety Regulation

• The need for regulation is directly proportional
  to the maturity of the industry

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Rail Safety Regulation

• In other words You get the level of safety
  regulation that you deserve

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The Nanny State

• Nanny - the term originally referred to a
  nursemaid, often with a tyrannical approach

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The Nanny State

• Invented by Margaret Thatcher

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Boiling Frog Syndrome

• How the Nanny State can creep up on you -
  likewise nanny regulation!

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Boiling Frog Syndrome

• Boiling Frog Syndrome occurs everywhere!

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Boiling Frog Syndrome

• It is true that you get the level of Regulation
  that you deserve!

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Poachers and Gamekeepers

• There is a spectrum of styles in safety
  regulation, from self-regulation at one end to
  an overly prescriptive approach at the other end

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Prescriptive Regulation

• Will not achieve either long-term improvements in
  performance or a step-change in safety culture

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The knee-jerk reaction

• You are only as good as your last disaster!

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The role of the Regulator?

• Policeman? To ensure that the industry complies
  with legislative requirements?
• Or something else?

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The problem with prescriptive regulation

• In a constantly changing World, whatever is
  prescribed today will be obsolete tomorrow

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Fear, blame and shame

• One serious accident is enough to disrupt any
  approach to regulation

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Is it always right to be right?

• Rule 1 - the Regulator is always right
• Rule 2 - if in doubt refer to Rule 1

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Is self-regulation possible

• In a perfect World there would be no need for a
  Safety Regulator

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Does self regulation exist any more?

• Yes, and in a high risk activity.

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The Media - the other Regulator

• The media assumes the role of Regulator whenever
  things go wrong!

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Conclusions

• Nanny style Regulation is costly and counter
  productive, but the solution lies with the
  industry

AKRA Aviation - new budget airline - competition
for Branson
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Some things never change
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Thank you

• Man is a battlefield, a dark cellar in which a
  well-bred spinster is locked in combat with a
  sex-crazed monkey, the struggle refereed by a
  nervous bank clerk
• Civilised man - Bannister, D.

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Questions?

• Death by (to) Powerpoint
• Apki Lambi Umar Ke Liye!
• Which way is the pub?

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Now theres a name for a pub!