This is important
We cannot expect to have unlimited funds available for airfields without contributing something ourselves and looking at airfields in a different way.
In France and England I saw small airfields which double as wheat fields with a couple of runways running through the middle of them. The control tower was not a huge, government run structure, but a small one that appeared to be part of, or associated with the aero club. One actually had sheep grazing on the field, with a shepherd and his dog sitting on a stool with them.
One of the main problems with aviation in Australia is that it has grown up with government funding, and too many are expecting that to continue for ever. Aero clubs and flying schools cannot expect free landings for ever. Someone has to pay. In fact, I believe "not for profit" organisations should not be issued with AOC's. AOC's are for operations that are for "hire and reward". Non commercial organisations distort the market.
The major airlines should contribute to flying schools, or run their own, as they are huge beneficiaries of the training operations. In fact, the major airlines like to have a huge pool of unemployed pilots waiting for them to recruit, and this causes great harm to the small aircraft industry. Some of the flying schools benefit from the furphy that "there are lots of high paying pilot jobs out there", but professional GA pilots have suffered badly because of this. Even now, with supposed "pilot shortage" (the first time in 35 years) some airline pilots are sent to work for overseas airlines because they are not needed here.
Our regulator also seems to regulate in favour of the "big aeroplane operators" and often stipulate big expensive airfield requirements that are not realistic. Some more realistic regulation could breath life into the small operators so they could afford to pay realistic landing fees and so support the airfield operators. But it appears they do not want that. Providers of essentail aviation services are having to compete with operators that raise money from the public, so our government saves money. These things destroy the economics of GA.
There is also military value in general aviation, as they fly all over the country and see what is happening in the outback. a job the military would have to do if there was no GA. You could hide thousands of poeple out there. Customs and ASIO benefit too.
Some of our city airports are approaching saturation(and also some of our cities.) and the small jets are not far away. GA is getting to be even more important in our sparsely populated country.
So, we need to look further than just saying we want more government money to prop us up. We have to pay our share, and we will be able to do it if we get a fair go. The governments and our society benefit greatly from GA, but it is mainly in the outback and most australians do not see it. Most think GA consists of the local flying school and the hobby aircraft of a few silvertails.