How many GA businesses are there to regulate?
I'm familiar with a self-regulatory body in another industry that has been proving quietly effective over the past decade and a bit. But its only dealing with around 1000 businesses a year.
It works on the principle of setting the poacher up as gamekeeper but with enough checks and balances to ensure natural justice is achieved.
It can affect the capacity of businesses to trade and has put over a dozen out of business in the past 8 years.
Despite this, no-one has ever taken it to court.
It operates in a co-regulatory environment with Government but to standards and with processes developed by the industry. It is therefore a lot more empathetic and flexible than a bureaucratic system.
If CASA is looking to pass off some of its functions, it would be worth looking at what might be achieved rather than dismissing the concept out of hand.
But I would be arguing for co-regulation rather than full self-regulation. At the least, it might lead to a reduction in red tape.