Well if it makes anyone feel any better - in New Zealand you cannot hold any type of licence (PPL up) until you have submitted an NZCAA 'Fit & Proper Person' check, essentially a Police check, which includes Police checks from any country you have lived in for the last 5 years..... Personally I don't have an issue with this - it could be argued that I know that there's a pretty good chance I'm sharing airspace with Fit & Proper persons!! i.e. a conviction for drink driving would likely preclude you from obtaining a pilots licence here - a good thing IMO.