But what you’re overlooking is the fact that the original Civil Aviation Regulations 1988 were only
155 pages long. (Copy here:
Civil Aviation Regulations)
Those 155 pages were, apparently, so complex and convoluted that they had to be replaced with 2,000 pages (so far) of inexorably expanding regulations, plus 10 times that in MOSs. 155 pages simplified to 2,000 plus, with more to come.
The CAOs are still there, and they are expanding inexorably as well.
For those who have been active pilots in Australia over the period 1988 to the present, what substantial difference has any of those thousands of pages of extra regulations made?
Let’s see: Quadrantal cruising levels changed to hemispherical. No more full reporting for VFR OCTA. GAAP to Class D (but that’s been effectively AIP’d and ERSA’d back to GAAP). A bit of messing around with CTAFs and frequencies on charts (remember Dick’s biscuits?). A bit of messing around with circuit entry/straight in approaches and calls at non-towered aerodromes, and a bit of messing around with report items in CTA (sorry, Class X).
In short, f*ck all difference, which could have been achieved with a few deletions, amendments and additions.