These CASA authorisations to transmit on aviation band frequencies are nothing new. Always been the case, as far back as DCA days.
Dick, I literally had to jump through flaming hoops to get a license for my VHF handheld. The only way I managed to eventually get it was to get a student pilot's license. I am only legally permitted to transmit on two frequencies, 126.7 & 129.9. For the "privilege" of using those two frequencies I have to pay the ACMA a fee, which has steadily gone up every year. My last renewal was $88.00.
Just to clarify, you have two separate things:
- a licence from the ACMA to operate your aviation band transceiver, and
- an authorisation from CASA to transmit on aviation band frequencies.
Your CASA authorisation is ongoing, but your ACMA licence must be renewed each year.
$88 is cheap. A licence to operate for commercial purposes on land mobile frequencies is ... significantly more
Edit to add:
I recall that a few years back a reminder went out via RAPAC that UNICOMs (and AFRU, AAIS etc.) needed to be licensed with the ACMA (in addition to the CASA authorisation to transmit), and that a check had been done between the ACMA's frequency assignment and license register vs ERSA FAC listings for aerodromes with UNICOMs listed, and some discrepancies had been picked up i.e. UNICOMs listed but not licensed.