Australia is behind in a good many things andrew, highways, mobile phone coverage, internet connections, education but thats ok because there are also a lot of things that make this country one of the best in the world to live in. I don't however buy into the argument that just because something is done one way in the States that it has to be done that way here. They have a very different culture, political system and economy to Oz. They don't have universal health care, schools free of the fear of massacre and a coastline accessible to everyone. Aviation in Australia will never be equivalent to, or ever has been equivalent to what happens in the USA. Their ATC system suits their requirements.