Also consider the numerous, currently Expat Australian ATC's that applied for Australian ATC positions during the Global Search for ATC's that were told that they were 'unsuitable' candidates. After recent substantial overseas ATC payrises they might be a little happier now with being unsuitable.
Airservices staff planning has been poorly managed for many years now for three main reasons:
1. The software/excel spreadsheet used to calculate required FTE's (full time equivalents) to run ATC and FW functions was fundamentally flawed in that it failed to take into consideration things such as Long Service Leave, training, pending retirements etc. etc.
2. The Managers that rigidly stuck to this application were and probably still are told about this and then stick their heads back into the sand where their productivity bonuses are buried.
3. Any Managers or staff that are truely bright and very competent, and there are quite a few of them, are generally bad mouthed into falling into line with the incompetents or end up resigning so that they can actually fulfiull their potential.
This incompetence spreads deep and wide within the organisation and leads to situations such as the current accelerating staffing issue and others such as this - there are many, many others (is the MATS rewrite finished yet?).
I applaud Dick Smith and all other contributers to this discussion and hope that some positive changes can be made.
Slightly off topic, so I am sorry.