Not correct, helopat. Converting an FAA ATPL to Oz CASA is no different to any other ICAO ATPL. CASA's website lists general & specific requirements for conversions of licences, ratings & endorsements/type ratings.
In general for licence conversions the applicant needs to sit an air law exam for that licene level and a licence issue flight test. There is no requirement to sit all of that licence level's exams. The CIR conversion requires sitting IREX and a flight test. The tests don't necessarily have to be with a CASA FOI. In the case of an ATPL conversion there's an issue w.r.t. having to hold a CPL & CIR to apply for an ATPL leading to going through a CPL & IR conversion first. *However* CASAs website also specifies in the case of a direct ATPL conversion that the applicant contact them first.
Never affected me because I went Oz ATPL to FAA & UK ATPLs but I would hazard a guess that they have some administrative procedure to reduce or streamline the above rigamarole.
Last edited by Tinstaafl; 8th Jul 2009 at 17:58.