Doug is right in trying to discuss this business without the personalities. If one side of the argument does not like one of the 'drivers' then it will never be 'the safest' system. It would not be in their political interest to HELP in making it safe. Perhaps all the controllers should join the AFAP or all the pilots join Civil Air. Perhaps then we might all pull in the same direction. I was at one of the RAPAC meetings when the LLAMP was paraded up. We just looked at one another. That to was flawed by the 'driver' of the system. Now we have a proposal from the other side and again we have a problem with the 'driver'.
Perhaps Australia might be best off with a 'driverless' system?
One of the problems I see is that we spend a lot of money on fixing a system that perhaps is not as broke as we make it out to be. But it all comes from one side. It is the pilots and operators that put their hand in THEIR pocket and pay and pay and pay. In any other 'normal' situation it would be "those who pay have a say". Unfortunately this does not work with airspace, we need the controllers to WANT it to work too. So how about we all put our heads together for the good of Australia and live and let live. But all is not lost. I am already working on the next generation transportation system for Australia. I breed Donkeys.