The principal purpose of the New Zealand Transport Accident Investigation Commission (the Commission) is “to determine the circumstances and causes of accidents and incidents with a view to avoiding similar occurrences in the future, rather than to ascribe blame to any person” (Transport Accident Investigation Commission Act 1990).
The Commission will hold an inquiry into a marine, rail or air accident or incident when it believes lessons or recommendations to help improve transport safety might result.
Road accidents (unless there is another mode involved, such as rail) or accidents involving only military vehicles are not the Commission’s responsibility.
The Minister of Transport may direct the Commission to hold an inquiry into an event which does not meet the usual criteria for investigation.
Accident investigation overview provides further information about the conduct of an inquiry from notification of an event until publication of an inquiry report.
The Commission seeks to influence transport safety improvements through promoting the learning from its investigations and wider work, and by ensuring it keeps up to date with international research and best practice for accident investigation.
Plain English executive summaries are included in published reports (from 2010) to help the news media and general public understand the key points.
The Commission makes safety recommendations in its reports where appropriate safety actions by the regulator or parties involved in the event have not been taken.
The Commission monitors the implementation of safety recommendations, and maintains an online database of these and their current status.
Reports with potential application beyond New Zealand are given to the appropriate international body, and the Commission’s work practices are subject to periodic audit by both ICAO and IMO.
The Commission aims to build and maintain appropriate relationships with the transport sector in which it can communicate its work, gather useful information to support it, and get feedback on how its work is being received and used.
The Commission is implementing a research strategy to both help individual inquiries and to ensure it has access to appropriate knowledge to help guide and support its work generally.
The Commission is a standing Commission of Inquiry and an independent Crown entity established and empowered by the: Transport Accident Investigation Commission Act 1990, Commissions of Inquiry Act 1908, and the Crown Entities Act 2004.
Commissioners are appointed by the Governor-General on recommendation of the Minister of Transport for fixed, renewable terms. There are usually three Commissioners, but there may be up to five.
The three Commissioners are:
|
John Marshall QC
Chief Commissioner
John Marshall is a Queen’s Counsel practising law in Wellington.
From 1975 to 1997 he was a litigation partner in the law firm now known as Buddle Findlay. In 1991 he spent a year working for Blake Dawson Waldron in Perth, Western Australia and was admitted as a barrister and solicitor of the High Court of Australia and of the Supreme Court of Western Australia. Since 1998 Mr Marshall has practiced as a barrister in Wellington, becoming a QC in 2007. His practice now is in the areas of arbitration, mediation and civil litigation. In 2003-2004 he was President of the Wellington District Law Society, and from 2007 to 2010, President of the New Zealand Law Society.
Mr Marshall was appointed to the Commission in March 2010 in order to take on the role of Chief Commissioner from May 2010.
|
|
|
Helen Cull QC
Deputy Chief Commissioner
Helen Cull has been a barrister sole since 1990 and a Queen’s Counsel since 1997.
She has been a director on the boards of Solid Energy Limited and the New Zealand Greyhound Racing Association, and is a member of the New Zealand Law Society Ethics Committee. Her experience includes the leadership of government-led inquiries into fisheries, adverse medical events and mental health practices.
Ms Cull was appointed to the Commission in May 2011.
|
|
Bryan Wyness
Commissioner
Bryan Wyness' industry knowledge is primarily aviation related with particular knowledge in flight safety along with his skills as a Flying Instructor, Flight Superintendent, Fleet Captain and Flight Operations Manager (Technical). He also holds a Bachelor of Science degree and an Airline Transport Pilot's Licence and Flight Navigator Qualification.
Bryan is the former Vice President Flight Operations of Air New Zealand and has held appointments with the International Advisory Committee of Flight Safety Foundation and the Independent Aviation Advisory panel.
Mr Wyness was appointed to the Commission in November 2004.
|
TAIC produces an annual Statement of Intent setting out the organisation’s proposed priorities, activity and budget for the agreement of the Minister of Transport, and against which it later reports in its Annual Report. Both documents are tabled in Parliament by the Minister of Transport.
The Commission is responsible for an annual budget of about $3.9m of public funding and for completing 30-50 inquiries a year. It employs the chief executive who in turn employs the other staff of about 20, comprising 10 investigators headed by a Chief Investigator of Accidents, along with management, finance, legal, communications, research, report co-ordination, investigation support, and administration support roles.
[May 2010]