Power Simon: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Power Simon: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:611;Page:8836] 
12.  
SIMON POWER (NZ National—Rangitikei) 
 to the  
Minister for State Owned Enterprises 
: Does he believe the decision by Airways Corporation to shut down the Wilsons Road primary radar will compromise the safety of air lanes; if not why not? 
Hon MARK BURTON (Minister for State Owned Enterprises) 
: 
 No I do not. In any event as Minister for State Owned Enterprises I have no responsibility for the Civil Aviation Authority. 
Simon Power 
: Can the Minister guarantee that once all the changes to Airways Corporation operations at Ohakea have taken place the level of safety and the control of the air lanes of New Zealand will be exactly as they were before the changes; if not why not? 
Hon MARK BURTON 
: As I indicated I have neither operational responsibility for the Airways Corporation— 
Simon Power 
: Will Airways keep it? 
Hon MARK BURTON 
: If the member wants an answer then let me answer it—nor do I have responsibility for the Civil Aviation Authority which is responsible for safety of the airways. I can assure the member that the configuration of radar for that part of the country is being managed in a manner consistent with all the secondary radar systems across New Zealand. 
Lynne Pillay 
: Has the Minister seen any reports on the performance of the Airways Corporation? 
Mr SPEAKER 
: No that question is— 
Hon MARK BURTON 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. To be clear you may have misheard my first answer. I said that I have no responsibility for the Civil Aviation Authority which is the agency that has responsibility for airways safety. This question was about the Airways Corporation for which I do have responsibility. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: I do not need any assistance on this matter. The supplementary question was far too wide of the original question. 
Peter Brown 
: Noting those answers is the Minister—because it is the impression he has given—not concerned about aviation safety; does he not recognise that the aviation industry and the users of that industry have the principal say as to whether there is a radar in Wilsons Road and that it is not a State-owned enterprise or the Civil Aviation Authority that has the final determination on such an important issue? 
Hon MARK BURTON 
: As a shareholding Minister I can assure the member that I regard the maintenance of aviation safety as being the highest possible priority. It is the Civil Aviation Authority that regularly reviews the arrangement the Airways Corporation has in place to control domestic airspace. The Airways Corporation is obliged to notify the Civil Aviation Authority of any changes it makes and the Civil Aviation Authority has the power to act if it believes there are any safety concerns—it does not. 
Simon Power 
: Does he have any concerns that once the Air Force’s heavy aircraft fleet—the 757s the Hercules and the Orions—moves to Ohakea in 2007 the safety risk posed by small aircraft with malfunctioning transponders no transponders or by those who have forgotten to turn their transponders on will be unacceptable; if not why not? 
Hon MARK BURTON 
: I repeat that that is a matter for civil aviation. Any member who believes that he or she has a genuine concern should raise it. I certainly would as a member of the flying public. I assure the member—and I have been advised by my colleague the Minister of Defence—that the contract between the Airways Corporation and the Royal New Zealand Air Force has been renegotiated. The new contract provides the Royal New Zealand Air Force with the services it requires.