In my view it’s not just a shortage of pilots that is of concern. There is a shortage of experienced capable people across many sectors in the Australian economy.
The underlying causes will be many and too complicated for mere mortals, however may include the following.
While the Australian economy has experienced an unprecedented period of growth, this growth has been primarily in Mining , some sectors of agriculture , Federal Gov. via Royalties/tax on mining thence Public sector and the finance industry who gets to play with the superannuation generated.
The rest of the economy has been either stagnant or going backwards in real terms, despite what politicians and the media have said !
There is also an underlying wealth transfer underway from the lower and middle class to the wealthy and super wealthy … again at unprecedented rates in human history.
This has meant the lower income would be pilots never had a chance , and the wealthy would be pilots didn’t want a bar of investing 150K on an insecure career such as aviation … Medical , Law , I.T or buying a Café makes much more sense . And they don’t even need to leave home town !
Yes , no doubt the lack of investment in shiny new Glass cockpit trainers for local student pilots , or Charter still done in 40 year old aircraft hasn’t helped , but surely that was always a symptom of lack of money in the general economy making those upgrades financially unviable .
I’m fully aware most training in Australia the last 15 years has been by foreign owned schools training their own cadets using our facilities / Instructors and good weather … and low and behold mostly in new glass equipped machines . Those Asian companies are spending their nations money !
And god help us from a Regulator whose contribution the last 20 years has been a never ending stream of useless bureaucracy , pointless changes and cost escalations beyond comprehension .
You can maybe add issues including aviation not having the sex and ego appeal it had 30 years ago , the fact Millennial's want it all and now , sliding pay rates , 457 visa pilots and whatever else you'd like to throw into the mix