@mainframe
Do you have first hand knowledge as well, or anectdotal / third party bar talk.
Was on the island 1998/1999.
Recently spoke with a pilot flying RPT in Torress Strait, and he assures me the same style of operations are being carried out by "charter" operators on Horn Island.
At the time you refer to, the trawler boat man's company and the arabs company deserved to be shut down.
The FOIs in Cairns at that time were ordered to prevent the psuedo RPT operations from continuing. The investigation was driven by the local council, to get better services for the TS Islanders.
I found the Airworthiness blokes to be fair, the FOIs were indeed hard heads, but they needed to be.
Does the name Feral Cheryl ring any bells?