The mother of a man who died in the Carterton balloon crash last year is welcoming a recommendation for the Government to act with urgency in making random drug testing mandatory across the transport sector.
The recommendation by the Transport Accident Investigation Commission includes the aviation, maritime and rail sectors, as well as recreational pilots and boaties.
It was made in a report on the balloon tragedy in which 11 people were killed in January 2012.
Chrisjan Jordaan and Alexis Still. Photo: Geoff Walker Photography
The commission's report said pilot Lance Hopping had been using cannabis not long before the fatal flight and it could not discount the possibility his judgement was impaired by that.
One of those who died was the Johannes Jordaan, 21, also known as Chrisjan, who was on the flight with his girlfriend Alexis Still.
His mother Annie Jordaan says she is amazed drug testing is not already mandatory across the aviation sector and is urging Transport Minister Gerry Brownlee to implement the commission's recommendation. She says the commission carried out its work sensitively and the report has brought some closure.
Civil Aviation Authority chief executive Graeme Harris says the authority has been pushing for mandatory testing across the entire aviation sector for the past eight years.
Professional Skipper Magazine editor Keith Ingram says the commission's call for recreational boaties to be tested, as well as commercial skippers, is well overdue. He says too many boaties are showing a blatant disregard for safety.
Mr Ingram says drugs and alcohol are a lethal combination when paired with modern boats, and are a factor in over half of all boating accidents.
Ngai Tahu Tourism, which runs businesses including Queenstown's Shotover Jet, has voluntarily begun its own random drug testing regime.
Chief executive John Thorburn told Morning Report every staff member from the top down will be asked to take a random drug test.
The Aviation Industry Association says it will be lobbying the Government to bring in mandatory drug and alcohol testing for the entire sector.
Chief executive Irene King told Morning Report most commercial aviators have drug testing in place and legisltion would create a formal, regulated routine.
Transport Minister Gerry Brownlee says he is awaiting advice from officials on whether a law change is needed and expects to be able to report any proposals back to cabinet early in the new year.
Action urgent - mayor
Carterton mayor Ron Mark says his community wants reform of alcohol and drug regulation enacted as soon as possible.
The hot air balloon that collided with power lines near Carterton. Photo: GEOFF WALKER
Mr Mark says that fact Mr Hopping may have smoked cannabis on the morning of the crash has been a blow for the people of the town, who still feel a sense of responsibility for the tragedy.
He says they want lessons to be learned from what happened.
Mr Mark says he is concerned for the welfare of the victims' friends and family, along with the ground crew who worked with Mr Hopping before his balloon crashed.
Rick Wolczak, who first taught Mr Hopping to fly 20 years ago, says he does not know what went wrong.
He says the judgement call that was made on the day of the crash was "just absolutely bad."
Mr Wolczak says flying under the influence is not normal practice for balloon pilots and he has never heard of it happening before.
Balloon operators fold
Half of New Zealand's commerical hot air balloon companies went out of business after the Carterton balloon tragedy.
Pilot Denis Hall says many operators walked away from their businesses because they could not face stringent new safety regulations for adventure tourism operators.
Just four commercial companies remain in New Zealand, out of the eight in business before the tragedy.
Mr Hall says passengers should feel confident in the industry today. He says New Zealand now has some of the best safety regulations in the world and if the industry does introduce mandatory drug testing, he knows of no pilot who would object to it.
Mr Hall, who organises Levin's hot air balloon festival, told Morning Report he will be happy to ask those piloting balloons to undergo a drug test.
He says drug testing would warn off people who think they can use drugs and fly balloons.
