For example, in the UK, the report goes to an air safety office within the RAF. As I recall, in US, it goes to NASA. Needless to say, with the gotcha criminal enforcement mentality dominating in Australian aviation regulation, with the idea of any possible air safety benefits having long since been lost, what we have is a "dobber's charter'.
And, as is now well know, ATSB freely shares information (that ICAO says should be confidential) with CASA
Yes Lead, quite correct, the UK and the USA maintain a separation. The ICAO protocol annex is very explicit that a division is supposed to exist between a report and the regulator.
The problem with a myriad of the ICAO annexes is that SARP is a 'recommended practice' and unfortunately some countries depart from the annex recommendation, Australia being one.
In short, typical of the misdirected shambles that characterises Australian aviation administration, which has done so much to inhibit development in aviation in Australia, not just GA, but all sectors. Pain, anguish and suffering for no air safety benefit.
Channeling Sir Humphrey Appleby.
Au contraire, In chaos bureaucracy thrives! Rather like field mushrooms when growing in manure.