Lester, Dark Knight, Relax', you're all missing the point, re: the ATPL requirement at least.
The profession in Australia is in decline. Unless you've been living under a rock, or are overseas perhaps, you would know this. It is this decline that threatens the very cornerstone of aviation saftey in this country. There are 2 reasons for this.
Firstly, the allure of flight doesn't have the same appeal to the same number of people (young and not so young) as it once did. This is a product of our advanced society and probably due in no small measure to the massive increase in the availability of air travel to a much wider section of the community.
Secondly, the standing and respect of the professional pilot has declined. In some small part due to the situation above, but mostly because of the inexorable decline in pilots wages and conditions when compared to the rest of modern society. I say compared to the rest of society, because that's what the Bruce Buchanan's of this world are trying to do. Reduce the standing of Airline Pilot to that of an apprentice, or a common blue-collar worker. I mean no disrespect to blue-collar workers, I come from a long line and was one myself for a long number of years.
There's not much that can be done about the first reason, but it is brilliant in it's simplicity, what can be done about the second.
The line from the movie "Build it and they will come" is, IMHO very appropriate. The participation rate for professional licences has dropped by a factor of 10 over the last 2 decades. Once upon a time the pool of suitable candidates were such that even after the non-hackers were weeded out, more than enough were left to satisfy the airlines needs. Make the profession desirable again, and the participation rate will grow. Not because of some scam designed to prey on the dreams of those who don't know any better, but because of the elevation of the profession of Airline pilot back to a position where it rightfully belongs.
A minimum of an ATPL!