From: Rodney & Kathleen Stanbury [rodneys1@ozemail.com.au]
Sent: Monday, 28 October 2002 8:46 PM
To: disabdis
Subject: CASA exemption from Human Rights
 

Dear Sir/Madam  

Following to CASA's Application for exemption under Disability Discrimination Act section 55 and Sex Discrimination Act section 44: Civil Aviation medical standards.     I am deaf man since birth and one of three deaf private pilots in Australia. We had a lots of troubles with DOA then changed name to CAA and again changed to CASA (they were the same people and same office but different names).     It was very discriminated against deaf people who wish to be pilot. Kent Power was first deaf pilot came into Australia after gained his Full Private Pilot Certificate in USA around 1970s, When he arrived in Australia . They refused to accepted his licence and medical certificate so he had taken them to court and he won , Judge told them to issue him a pilot licence but they gave him only student permit not equal to his America pilot certificate as what he had.   He was very upset and went back to USA . I had experiences of bad things I received from them until Federal Government established a new govt office called Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission in 1986 .     After that they changed their altitude toward to me and gave much better deals and reduced my awful restrictions down to "near fair enough level".    My Big Thanks to the people from Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission  for making CASA to deal with me better, but there are still more better deals needed for in future new coming technologies eg: Mobile Phone SMS , ADB-S and National Airspace System and etc!   I saw some deaf people who wanted to be private pilot like me and failed to get the medical certificate , it was very hard.      I am not pleased with CASA proposal and fear that if CASA got the exemption as above it could be changed today back to old dark days in the past again ?  Your Sincerely Rodney Stanbury