Here's a great example where Part61 isn't just affecting the bottom dollar of GA, it has actually increased the risk to the community.
Last month CASA released a further exemption (CASA EX148/15) to allow pilots that were previously carrying out firebombing/firefighting activities prior to 01SEP14 to continue to operate without the need for the Aerial application rating-firefighting (whether it be Helicopter or Fixed wing). Whilst CASA has at least woken up to allow previously experience firefighting pilots to continue to operate under the exemption, it doesn't cater for NEW pilots to operate on fires until such time as they receive the Aerial Application rating - firefighting on their license.
Now here's there clincher, CASA is taking months (if at all) to issue the Training Approval to pilots (instructors that were line pilots on firefighting ops as well as previously training up pilots prior to 01SEP14 on firebombing etc with logbook evidence). This then has the knock on effect that without the Training Approval, the Flight Training and Testing Office cannot issue a Flight Examiner approval for the rating. CLARC has tied itself up in knots wondering how they are going to 'legally' issue the training approvals without there having been a previous qualification in existence (chicken/egg scenario).
In the meantime we can only employ pilots that have previous firefighting/bombing experience prior to 01SEP14 and we cannot train up any new pilots in the meantime.
Now the industry typically employs the usual suspects every season, but that usually only makes up 2/3 to 3/4 of the pilots needed on the fire season. So in effect CASA is essentially putting the community at risk by way of not allowing NEW firefighting pilots be trained up and be issued with the CASA introduced Aerial Application-Firefighting rating.
All in the name of 'safety', here's a clear example of CASA where the new regs have in fact decreased safety. This doesn't even take into account the added cost of the training/checking new rating, which won't make an ounce of difference to increasing safety in itself anyway (the industry was doing well enough self regulating by way of client requirements).
Food for thought.