This is unbelievable. If they introduce this SAFIS then ASA are just recreating the old AFIS. For the under 40's these were situated all over Australia at airports that were considered not busy enough to require a tower but too busy to be what is now called a CTAF.
Places like Wagga, Kalgoolie, Leigh Creek, Dubbo and host of others were situated around the country. On memory they had a 30mile radius and up to 5000ft with a flight service unit located on site. To fly into or through that airspace you would call up at the 30mile boundary and advise intensions. FS would then pass traffic both IFR and VFR to you and you to others in your area. You would give them your ETA aircraft type etc and they would pass on wind local QNH and runway direction in use. They had no control function it was purely advisory. They also were a briefing office for the lodgment of flight plans, weather briefings etc. I think under Dick's chairmanship of the then CAA they were closed down due cost and these Flight service officers all given redundancy.
This SAFIS proposal is just slightly different boundaries and the Fight service provided by ATC in the city centres. Talk about the wheel of progress going around! And they get paid well for this?
I'm sure Ex FSO Griffo could enlighten us about history repeating itself. Next they will bring back MTAF's under a new name. Or perhaps where RPT are operating we have a big red ball hoisted on a flagpole at the airfield half hour before the RPT's arrival or departure. On seeing this all other aircraft must land!