[thorn bird]

The really sad thing K, is the solution in reality is so simple and cheap in comparison to the hundreds of millions so far spent on alleged "Reform". Perhaps this is why Australian aviation regulations are viewed with so much wonder and amusement around the world. As my old Dad used to say, Australia took the finest traditions of British bureaucracy and refined it into an art form.
Britain used to be a front runner in the design and production of aircraft, some say killed off by bureaucratic overreach regulation, same thing occurred with European regulation. Fortunately or unfortunately realisation came somewhat late, but at least now attempts are being made to resurrect the industry with sensible reform. Much like Britain, Australia's civil aviation regulator had its roots grounded by the Authoritarian Department of defence. In the USA their regulator had its roots grounded in the civilian world, where entrepreneurial enterprise was encouraged rather than suppressed.

New Zealand went through the process triggered by an unfortunate accident, many false starts were made because of opposition by its aviation bureaucrats grounded in the same militaristic traditions. They virtually had to dismantle their whole system to finally produce what are recognised as one of the best regulatory suites in the world, a modern functional suite based on the US FAR's. They had sense enough to realise the Americans were the primal aviation industry in the world, with a mature regulatory suite that achieved outstanding safety outcomes without stifling productivity and innovation. Aligning with them could and did produce excellent safety outcomes as well as significant cost savings.

And all the while Australia has and continues to ignore the obvious.