Pooling pilots:
"Today's Wedgetail services are proudly sponsored by Big Roo Airlines. Unfortunately, it is company policy not to fly in uncontrolled or hostile airspace due to possible commercial retaliation to Big Roo Airlines by non-combatants friendly to our enemy and other legal repercussions, which would distress our shareholders. So, today's planned mission somewhere over the Indian Ocean has been deferred until we have been granted approval from the Big Roo legal team in consultation with government lawyers. For the present time, we will be limiting our operations to friendly skies. So sit back, enjoy the flight and listen to our country's fighter pilots try and find their way around enemy skies by Braille."
or:
"Welcome aboard Mr. Prime Minister. Big Roo Airlines is proud to be your pilot source of choice. We should inform you that Big Roo Airline pilots are currently in an industrial dispute with management over wages and benefits. We realize you have critical affairs of state, but we have been directed to inform you that we are unable to service your aircraft until further notice. If your travel plans are important, we advise you to take a regular airline flight to your destination instead."
Don't know the ins and outs of the VIP Sqdn, but if civvy pilots are flying heads of state, does this mean that the heads of state have to go through the Customs and Immigration gates like everyone else? I would imagine that communications and organizing visits by heads of state goes through military channels. What changes would be necessary for contracted commercial pilots? That's not even considering military and state secrets (if there are any worth keeping). And as for the image...Australia doesn't even have enough pilots in the RAAF to fly the Prime Minister on official business.
Mr Fitzgibbon said Australia's population was too small to sustain public and private employment needs.
It must have been desperate times indeed before Australia's population exceeded 20 million.
Sounds like the RAAF has the same problem as AsA: short-sighted managers with silver tongues who gave little thought to future staffing issues in the rush to earn a bonus and cut costs. It doesn't say much for the pollies or their staff if they are buying into, and regurgitating, these excuses so readily.
I would guess that Fitzgibbon's suggestion is for previously proposed instructor slots, but if the intention is for operations staff, then I don't know why Fitzgibbon just doesn't come out and say that the RAAF is so short of pilots that hiring mercenaries is a possible option to consider.