VZCZCXRO0430
PP RUEHPT
DE RUEHBY #0108/01 0330637
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 020637Z FEB 09
FM AMEMBASSY CANBERRA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0933
INFO RULSDMK/DEPT OF TRANSPORTATION WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHMCSUU/FAA NATIONAL HQ WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEHDN/AMCONSUL SYDNEY 4171
RUEHBN/AMCONSUL MELBOURNE 5962
RUEHPT/AMCONSUL PERTH 4227

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 CANBERRA 000108 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EEB/TRA, EAP/ANOP 
 
TAGS: EAIR AS
SUBJECT: NEW CIVAIR DRUG/ALCOHOL TESTING STARTS SOON 
 
REF: WALKLET-TIGHT/ALBRIGHT emails Jan 09 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary: The new Australian drug and alcohol random testing 
programs for those involved in safety-related aviation roles legally 
could begin at any time, but it expected to start in late March or 
early April.  The program will be administered by the Civil Aviation 
Safety Authority (CASA), which will collect samples and conduct 
tests.  CASA expects to test 5% of aviation industry employees per 
year.  Foreign carriers will not be required to have a drug and 
alcohol management program (DAMP), but foreign carriers' employees 
working in Australia will be subject to random testing.  End 
summary. 
 
 
¶2. (U) Econoff met with Brenda Cattle, Drug and Alcohol Manager at 
CASA, and Carolyn Hutton, Section Head for Strategic and 
International Relations, January 27 to discuss CASA's upcoming new 
drug and alcohol random testing program. 
 
TIMING 
------ 
 
¶3. (SBU) Cattle said CASA already has the regulatory authority to 
start the program "today".  However, they are still finalizing the 
program and see late March or even more probable, early April as the 
beginning date for the new program. 
 
SCOPE 
----- 
 
¶4. (SBU) The program will include random testing for all employees - 
crews, employees, subcontractors, etc - who work in a "safety role". 
 This includes people on-site and off-site (e.g., pilots doing 
pre-flight checks).  It applies to the entire commercial aviation 
sector, from the big international carriers like Qantas to small 
crop-dusting operations.  It will apply to the employees of foreign 
airlines operating in Australia.  Cattle said the random testing 
will be an audit of the industry; they plan to test 5% of the 
aviation industry per year, approximately 6000 tests.  CASA will 
test for opiates, amphetamines, cocaine, cannabis, and alcohol. 
 
FOREIGN CARRIERS 
---------------- 
 
¶5. (SBU) Cattle said foreign carriers will be subject to testing. 
However, they will not be required to have drug and alcohol 
management programs (DAMP) in place (Australian domestic carriers 
must have a DAMP in place by March 23).  Instead, foreign carriers 
will have to meet certain conditions, for example providing a point 
of contact in case an employee tests positive, and will have to 
prove that they have a suitable response to the case of an employee 
testing positive.  CASA has been silent in its public documents 
about foreign carriers because they are working on a partial 
exemption for them, i.e. to exempt them from the DAMP requirement. 
CASA has sent through an industry association a draft exemption to 
foreign carriers. 
 
HOW TESTING WILL WORK 
--------------------- 
 
 
¶6. (SBU) No testing will be done outside of Australia, not even for 
Australian carriers.  CASA will employ approximately 40 testers, who 
will be trained and will travel with complete testing kits.  A 
tester will be instructed to test a certain type of aviation 
employee on a given day, for example "test one captain from each 
airline, the first you see", similar to police roadside testing. 
There is no mechanism to target a specific individual.  The employee 
will be given a legal notice about the testing, be told why they 
were selected, and will have the test explained.  For alcohol, they 
will blow into a tube for a breath test, which will give a positive 
or negative result.  If positive, the employee will wait 15 minutes 
and then blow again with more sophisticated equipment that's results 
Qand then blow again with more sophisticated equipment that's results 
are up to evidential standards.  For drugs, the tester will swab for 
"oral fluids" between the gum and cheek, and under the tongue. 
After 5 minutes, the test will give a result.  If it is positive, 
the sample will be sent to a laboratory for confirmation.  The lab 
will turn the sample around within 24 hours.  During that period, 
the employee will not be permitted to do any safety-related 
activities.  After the confirmatory test is finished, CASA will call 
the employee (employee must provide a phone number) to discuss the 
results. 
 
¶7. (SBU) In Australia, codeine is still legal and is used in some 
over the counter medicines, especially for colds and flu.  A 
positive test for codeine will go to CASA's medical review officer 
(MRO), who will determine whether there was a legitimate medical 
 
CANBERRA 00000108  002 OF 002 
 
 
reason for the presence of codeine, and whether there was a safety 
risk. 
 
¶8. (SBU) If the drug test is positive (and in the case of medically 
appropriate presence of codeine, is a safety risk), the MRO will 
instruct the employee to stop performing safety-related tasks; this 
can include CASA revoking or changing licenses.  The MRO/CASA will 
require the start of an assistance and treatment program for the 
employee, and will consider the criminal offense. 
 
PENALTIES 
--------- 
 
¶9. (SBU) Penalties for positive results will be imposed on the 
employees, not the employer.  The maximum fine will be A$5500 (about 
US$3500 at current exchange rates).  The employer could be penalized 
only if it lets somebody who has tested positive return to work in a 
safety-related role without ensuring the employee has met conditions 
to return to work.  CASA will not require instant dismissal.  The 
employee may go through a treatment plan and if certified by a 
qualified clinician as not posing a safety risk, could be allowed to 
resume work in a safety-related role. 
 
¶10. (SBU) One of the challenges, Cattle said, will be educating 
airline and airport employees who have not previously been covered 
by safety-related drug and alcohol testing, for example, airport 
security screeners and baggage handlers.  CASA will conduct an 
information campaign to ensure such employees are aware of the 
program and their inclusion. 
 
CLUNE