Albanese's lack of experience in the things that his portfolio controls doesn't excuse the Director's behaviour. Oh to have a Minister who had ever set foot in a charter operation or flying school, quietly as a student or ordinary customer, rather than as a publicity opportunity. But, because the politicians usually know little useful about the operational side of their responsibilities, they employ people who can relate to pollies on one side, and the real world on the other. To interpret, advocate, guide, and direct. And so, the Director is sandwiched in that confined space between operational issues and political masters. It is the same for all organisations, especially large ones.
The line which all people in the Director's position walk is complex, but many carry such a position with aplomb. He does not. Feeling the need to do something, he does it. CASA Instrument 597/09 plainly acknowleges that he has acted without sufficient input from appropriate sources.
Referring to the previous Instrument setting out GAAP changes (6 aircraft circuit limit, Class D, etc), it says "This instrument is a remake of a previous instrument. When that instrument was done, the Office of Best Practice Regulation did not require a Regulation Impact Statement because a preliminarly assessment of the Business Compliance Costs indicated that the instrument would have only a low impact on business"
"Low impact on business" ? The restriction to 6 circuit aircraft had a large, measurable, and entirely predictable impact on business. Staffing Camden Tower 7 days a week will have a large, measurable and entirely predictable impact on business. Either the advice was wrong, or the people it came from were the wrong people to ask. Or both. In either case, he should have applied more wisdom in acting on it, and he is responsible for that.
No-one expects The Director to know everything about aviation, and he is naturally obliged to get assistance in areas where he has limited expertise. He needs to get the right advice from the appropriate people and implement it in an effective way. Shotgun out, management in.