Sadly, it is now recognised that Australia is now the most litigious (sp?) society in the world - we have overtaken the good ole US of A in the number of lawsuits filed per head.
I also read recently in the media that Australia is one of the most regulated countries in the world. Commentators put this down to
a) our convict past (apparently we are very likely to do something unless we are specifically told not to), and
b) our enterprising spirit (even if we are specifically told not to, we will still try and bend the rules if if we reckon we can get away with it).
This means that in a bid to cover their arse, regulators then try to make sure the rules cover every potential possibility, no matter how unlikely or outlandish that possibility might be.
Sound familiar?