It is appropriate that regulatory responsibility goes to CASA rather than DoTRS, as there are no other available choices on the table. As the safety regulator, CASA have the aviation knowledge and expertise to a degree to deal with airspace regulatory matters. Normally such matters also involve them in relation to safety regulation issues as well.
DoTRS and airspace policy is appropriate also, but at this stage they appear to have little knowledge or expertise in airspace matters, and to make matters worse they have lost face and credibility by aligning themselves with NAS and rejecting industry input and concerns with the program, rather than adopting a more neutral position. But then as with other DoTRS matters, they no doubt view their airspace policy role as simply burocrats following the Minister’s direction.
I don’t agree that CASA or any other organization has sabotaged airspace reform. Some would say a particular individual sabotaged the LLAMP project in the late 90’s – and that project had widespread industry support because all the stakeholders were involved at all times and their input was listened to.