Frank,
Thanks for the reminder, RPL is the long mooted Recreational Pilot License, a sub-ICAO license, that some would like "community administered", as competition to RAOz.
As a matte of interest, most western European nations now have a "National Private Pilots License", by whatever name. The various NPPLs, the proposed CASA RPL, the FAA SPL/RPL and the RAOz Pilot Certificate all have a "programmatic specicivity" ( to use the proper Ruddbot cyberspeak) , a commonality, a flying syllabus and flying competency standards ( to use the up to date term for what we have always needed to demonstrate --- that we can fly) that are remarkably similar ---- the Daylight VFR syllabus of 40 or so years ago, the one so many of us experienced ----- and somehow survived.
Australia is not the only country where the "ICAO" PPL has become increasingly un-affordable ---- for no good reason ----- nothing earth shattering has changed in that time, whether it is aircraft, equipiment or matters airspace ---- where there have been minor incremental changes of little impact on daylight VFR operations.
Tootle pip!!
PS: A crossover, Ozbusdriver, I agree with you, but you would be surprised at the present level of confidence being demonstrated by "the usual suspects".