Folks,
Just to add to #6, there is a further serious inhibition to CASA (or any other department/authority/public servant) ever agreeing to any change.
If you always say no, you are fireproof. The status quo remains.
If you say yes, you have made that incredibly dangerous thing (for a public servant) ---- a decision.
Now, in broad terms, a decision can be right or wrong.
If it is right, you will get little or no credit, so what is the point of saying yes.
If it is "wrong" (and anything post the decision that can be linked to adversely to the decision will be) you will wear the consequences, including any possible personal or career liability.
So, NO!! is always the safe institutional or individual answer.
Over the years, from the days of DCA, through DoT, CAA to CASA, there have been some quite amazing examples of this principle at work, the interests of Australia or the aviation sector don't come into it, as we have just seen with the dumping of any moves to amend S9A of the Civil Aviation Act 1988.