The difference between the US and Australia is that CASA work mainly on compliance, and FAA mainly on safety. The two philosophies are worlds apart.
The fact is, that a lot of decisions are made at all levels of aviation (by engineers, CC, pilots, refuellers, managers etc.) where compliance and covering one's arse is the most motivating factor.
A few examples:
Refuellers around Australia are busy pumping fuel (holding the switch in their hand) while placing orange witch's hats all around the truck, rather than standing next to the truck and aircraft fuel panel monitoring and watching like they should be. The reason - CASA compliance (I don't want to get in trouble).
Cabin crew are so busy telling people in exit rows they can't have anything on the floor, they consciously ignore the 10-15kg hand luggage bags they are jamming in the overheads, which exceed the weight limit of the bins and shouldn't have been allowed onboard in the first place. The reason - CASA compliance (I don't want to get into trouble). They then proceed to serve booze to these people in charge of the exits.
Pilots are so busy being "random" drug tested, yet CASA medical still routinely certify chain cigarette smokers with class 1 medicals. But it is all wonderfully compliant.
Get an unscreened passenger in the terminal accidentally and they shut the whole f***ing airport down and kick everyone out for rescreening. Meanwhile, out at my aircraft there's a catering employee who got issued with a visitor ASIC yesterday, loading boxes onto the aircraft, who signed on at the other side of the airport and who hasn't been screened. The reason - DOTARS compliance.
Go through screening at certain ports, and flight crew get guaranteed explosive testing while passengers wander through. The security guards tell us this is because we are easier and faster to test, and they have a quota per hour they have to COMPLY with. Compliance = safety?
Send pilots to the sim with CASA observing and during the one engine raw data ILS you bust a speed by 1 knot, not sustained, bingo - have a few weeks off. Then when CASA leave, in the briefing room you get the old "oh don't worry mate, if CASA hadn't been here, you'd have been alright". The reason - CASA compliance, not safety.
Every day, all around Australia, people who have a direct influence on air safety are making decisions based on compliance, box ticking and arse covering - because that's how CASA have driven the industry.
To CASA:
COMPLIANCE does not necessarily = SAFETY. The more you take the big stick approach, the more likely people are to make decisions which sacrifice safety in order to cover themselves.