Oh, how predictable, as predicted some time back:
Annex C - Safety Statement (posted by Frank above)
1. Executive Summary
1.1 In better aligning rules and procedures at Class D aerodromes (including those
using General Aviation Aerodrome Procedures (GAAP)) with those used in the USA, Australia is moving towards
the proven USA National Airspace System (NAS), whilst
standardising the two disparate sets of rules which exist for Class D airspace in Australia. (my underlining).
As I stated in a post way back (10 April), Blind Freddy could have seen this one coming. I think that the language that relates to the 'proven' USA blah, blah is a dead-set giveaway. My 10 April post:
From where I stand there's an admirable degree of ratsh*t cunning with this plan that goes like this:
"We are getting E over D at BME and KTA. The directive is already out to convert GAAP to E over US D, and AV will be the same without any additional pot-stirring or lobbying on our part. Do not rock the boat at this stage - no need.
"Once we have these changes locked down, we then go into lobby mode. We point out that we now have a 'totally confusing' system, whereby we now have two completely different sets of procedures and airspace types operating across the 'non-major' airports. At BME, KTA, AV and all the ex-GAAPs, we have, 'safe,' 'proven' US airspace. Yet at places like AY, LT, HB, TW, AS, etc, etc we have 'unique' Australian, 'Galapagos' D with overlying C. Surely this is at the very least confusing and non-standardised, and at the very worst, dangerous.
"The obvious solution Minister (sucker), is to reclassify all those other ports as E over US D for 'standardisation.' Otherwise, the confusion will generate incidents/accidents and, Minister, 'you'll have blood on your hands,' or something equally dramatic - there's a certain amount of form here going back to NAS. The pressure will also be applied via the media, who don't know any better, and the gullible couch potato that is well-informed through his reading of the Tele and seeing 'aviation experts' on A Current Affair.
Believe me boys and girls, who drive the regionals and the heavy metal going into places like Coffs, Albury, Alice, Hobart, Launy and all those others, you're in the gun-sights and are about to be comprehensively snookered unless you get it in a pile right now.
If you don't, you'll be mixing it with uncontrolled VFR traffic to all of those 'country' destinations to which you fly.
As I said, in my opinion an 'admirable degree of ratsh*t cunning,' I dips my lid. But don't wake up one morning and claim you didn't see it coming - it will be too late!
The next stage, and this is just my take and my reading of the tea-leaves (but we got it right on 'standardised' Class D), will be the conversion of overlying C to overlying E in the interests of, you guessed it, 'standardisation!'