Oh Axe, I had retired but your last post brought me back.
You choosing which rules to follow and which you decide you won't is the sort of thing that only confirms GA's cr*p reputation in my mind. Insurance companies would love you because it gives them the 'out' they look for.
Look, saying your aircraft didn't fall out of the sky when it didn't have a valid maintenance release is a silly argument. It's like saying, 'my car registration is out of date but I didn't have an accident so it's okay'. The regulations are there as the framework under which we work and they are the law of the land whether you happen to like them or not.
It doesn't matter if CASA takes 3 months to process the paperwork...if one doesn't have a valid whatever, one just does not fly! Take it up with the politicians, the media, I don't care but if one does not have the appropriate certifications and clearances, there is no excuse to fly. Past actions such as yours and others are why CASA has so much power! Think about it! If people played by the rules (and if they didn't like the rules, then they lobbied to have them changed through a credible organisation), then the need for CASA to play policeman lessens.