Good article and well written, but the writer "doth protest too much" with the hours. He has an axe to grind I reckon.
As Sherm pointed out, it is the experience (take-offs and landings) that matter. Umpteem zillion hours spent as a cruise pilot are of very little use.
I spent very little time as a S/O - thankfully. to spend years and years watching (as is the case with QF/NZ/CX and other legacy airlines) what I wanted to DO would have driven me crazy.
Yes we do not need L-Platers flying passengers in Aus. But well trained and suoervised "P-Platers" have a place in Australian aviaition. In fact they NEED to have a place if we are to keep the system safe and control costs.
CASA are you listening?