I may be wrong in some details and happy to stand corrected but my memory was CASA started a rewrite of the CAO/ANOs and CARs in the mid 1990s to simplify the regulatory framework.
Jonkster,
You are partially correct, but you give to much credit to CASA.
The mid- 1990s changes came from the Howard Government aviation policy "Soaring into Tomorrow" and two successive Ministers, Sharp and Vaile who wouldn't be snowed by the public service,and their personally appointed industry Program Advisory Panel (PAP) for the "CASA Review".
There were two other things missing since, a reform minded CASA CEO/DAS who was ex FAA, and an excellent Secretary of the "Department", Alan Hawke.
The substantive output of the PAP/CASA Review was CASR Parts 21-35, and complete drafts of many other major sections, all in simple language --- that past muster with A-Gs etc.
The resistance from the ranks of CASA was ferocious, and as the Minister's moved on, Hawke moved to Defense etc., "the system" conspired to force the resignation of the DAS/CEO, Leroy Keith, convinced the incoming minister that the PAP was no longer required, all the regulations ready to be made were stopped in their tracks, and any real "reform" was dead, and you see what we have all these years later.
There were major reforms in Parts 21 to 35, resulting in the explosive growth of amateur building and the growth of AUF/RAOz, and huge expansion in the "warbirds" sector, all by removing (reforming) unnecessary restrictions.
At the other end of the scale, CASR 25 removed Australian unique restriction on airlines, especially Qantas, who had to compete internationally against airlines who were not subject to such restrictions.
A point not to be forgotten, the FARs by reference for 23 to 35 became CASR 23-35.
GET THAT ---- WE adopted a CHUNK OF US Title 14 CFR (aka FARs) Parts 23 to 35 as Australian law.
But, as we have seen, as soon as the IRON RING re-assumed control, all reform died, and with only the IRON RING in control, you see the atrocities we have today, like Parts 61/ 141/142, the "maintenance suit" including Part 142 and 66, and the forthcoming are just as bad or worse.
The very idea of having to operate a GA8 Airvan (or a C-207 or C-208 etc) to Part 121 HCRPT standards is ludicrous, as Part 135, itself a terrible document, finishes with five seats.
For my money, we should start with most of the NZ regs, which are the FARs cleaned up and greatly reduced in size. There are a few things NZ we should not do, but that could be easily sorted ---- by people who actually know what they are talking about, and not talking for sectional/union interests.
Tootle pip!!
And, in "adopting" the NZ rules, we need to reform the special provisions CASA has forced, that prevent the Trans Tasman Mutual Recognition Treaty working as intended.