Whilst C&T standards have NOT deteriorated over the years, other factors that contribute to safety have!
Things like:
No crew rest facilities on certain LCC airplanes.
Minimum wages slipping below the poverty line, meaning that pilots may have to take a second job to cover living expenses, or work on their days off for the airline.
Minimum turnaround times, with less support meaning the flight crew have more work to do, in less time, then get harangued as to why they ran late.
Terms and conditions eroded to a point where in flight meals have to be provided by the employee, else they go hungry, and hence be less alert in case of emergency.
Powers of the PIC being eroded to a point where the passenger has ALL the rights, and the airline none! this means that passengers are no longer "encouraged" to behave properly on flights.
CASA stepping away from SAFETY functions... like mandating proper fatigue management, or enforcing maximum work times.
All these things are more so to blame for factors which erode air safety, than C&T facilities.
Why not concentrate on these things?
Why not do an expose on how conditions have changed? on how much more fatigued todays pilots are? On how loopholes in the system allow operators to get away with more and more at the pilots expense,thus reducing safety?