While acknowledging the surrounding cirumstances, the situation in Australia all those years ago involved pilots who resigned. It was an industrial tactic which had enormous consequences. It wasn't a pilot shortage as such.
The pilot shortage that is occurring now is a direct result of government bureaucracy, inaction and over regulation over many years. This permeates every area of aviation - airlines, general aviation, CASA, air traffic control etc etc.
The USA has its' share of problems, but it seems to manage aviation change a whole lot better than some of the so called 'experts' running this nanny state that we live in now.
As long as these 'experts' refuse to look at real world standards, regulation etc etc, nothing will change, and the quick fix of work visas is a shocking admission of failure to manage and nurture our own industry.
