toss, generally the case.
having a quick look at the LiveATC archive, this one appears the opposite. All parties from what I can tell are aware of everyone else, Flightwatch advised the departing aircraft on the ground about the inbound traffic (x2 Jetstar), including minutes out, the fact they are inbound for the reciprocal, and also advised the same to the inbound aircraft around the intentions for the departure. Rolling call was made. So in this case, everyone appears to know about everyone else and who is going where as confirmed by each crew.
Flightwatch started questioning the departure aircraft on upwind around turning intentions due to aircraft ahead, seemed a bit of confusion also.
Certainly would have been a bit closer if nobody was watching. Perhaps we should just stop CTAF ops completely for large RPT. I recall Tiger put a ban on operations into such airspace at one point. The stupid thing is, when these events happen,
PR departments come out with the template ‘safety never compromised, underpins everything we do’. Well complete bull**** as Flightwatch saved what would have been a safety compromised accident. If a Chief Pilot went to an executive tomorrow and advised they wish to stop all operations unless tower controlled, they would probably get pushed out. Margins, profits, bonus schemes are top of the chart. Adding extra costs to the airways bill to ensure a operator is running under control at all times will be shot down, ‘our operation is now unviable’…Jetstar pulled that one at Avalon when asked about extra tower charges by the media.