1. There is now a mandatory requirement for 100 hrs of ground theoretical knowledge training for the PPL. How the hours are allocated is up to the ATO providing the PPL course.
2. Before taking any exam, a student has to be signed off by the ATO as being ready to take the exam.
No longer is it a question of simply finding out the answers, doing the exams then b*ggering off to some US PPL puppy farm to do the flying.