Kiwiblue,
In a perfect world, it would be as you say, the predicament in the real world is the huge power imbalance between the "regulator" and the "regulated", and the practical issues of fighting CASA through the courts ---- the time and cost is frightening.
You guys had a very successful modernisation of your rules years ago, we started before you, and apart from some progress that gave us a new Part 21 to 35 almost 10m years ago, little else has emerged.
Some time back now, as part of a a foreign aid program for PNG called Balus , Australia paid to put a tailored version of the "new" NZ rules in place, as the traditional Australian rules were decided to be inflexible and barely functioning.
Maybe NZ might like to come up with a foreign aid program to do the same for Australia, we could call it Operation GA Survival.
Tootle pip!!