Learning to fly has always been expensive. Relatively speaking no more now than 20 years ago. Management types would have you believe that it is the expense and a failure of government policy that has lead us to where we are today. Colin Rodgers, whilst acknowledgeing the problem, appears to be pushing the same line. With all due respect, A.O.P.A. represents mostly private pilots and operators. They are hardly in a position to understand or have an interest in the failure of the airlines to maintain professional pilot's T&C's!
So why, if it is no more expensive (relatively speaking) and the uncertainty of securing a job has been reduced significantly, have young Australians abandoned the profession? We all know the answer. The problem is untill that fact finally gets through to the operators then we will not see the reversal in the decline of young Australians willing to take up the profession. Pure and simple.