Well I read three years ,as of when is the point .
If CASA had a say in it maybe earlier than latter,but as I asked that question of Rick McMaster (CASA licencing ACT in 2001), and was told three years was the target then,I wouldn't hold my breath. I popped over and did the basics for B1 inside three months {at least you are in control,and it beats any timeline I've heard so far).It comes down to politics ,the Poms don't think the Frogs have a system(They don't) the Frogs think they do. The poms won't have the French colonies (Africa etc) in the JAR and the rest of Eurpoe all think so much of the poms that they need time to work out how to do justice to the TRUE Eurpoeans and teach the English a leason or two. The Germans believe this should be,by,only allowing degree holders to work on aircraft.Most CAA BACR Licenced Eng's are trained via hands on. Other countries have differing points of veiw ,but they all agree that the English system in South Africa,Oz,Hong Kong ,Sing's,Malasia etc can go hang.That means you possums.
Any objection by any JAR full member state takes about six months to resolve, and they love to share the work load.
The flip side is the poms can come over to Oz via New Zealand simply with one exam of air ledge .There must be a way to level the playing feild without needing a Ruby world cup(strewth I hope we beat the French)