Hi Dick
I will chime in again.
I have been able to visit and sit in on air traffic control operations in Singapore, Malaysia, the United States (military and civilian) and UK (military and civilian).
I really have no idea what the Hell you are talking about Dick.
Where there are particular kinds of operations occurring, military airspace is locked up tight FOR THE SAFETY OF THE REST OF THE FLYING WORLD FOR THE DURATION OF THE EXERCISE. Then the airspace is released. Same as Australia.
The basic foundations are exactly the same in all of these jurisdictions - they just look different to the UNTRAINED EYE! You are an aviator but never have been an air traffic controller or airspace manager. I've been BOTH!
The policies and procedures are slightly different but one of the major ones I saw (may have changed a lot) was that in Australia I could close airspace and divert aircraft if in my professional opinion that airspace was too dangerous to fly in.
I, and other experienced controllers, have closed RAAF Williamtown well before the Met Man's forecast said we should because of our experience. If we'd have waited until the SigMet hit, a large number of Mirages would have been dumped in the ocean. As it was, they all made it safely to either Sydney or Richmond.
In answer to other ill informed commentary, well trained, motivated and sympathetic controllers are not one of three things useless to a pilot (Runway behind me, airspace above me and air traffic controllers).
I suggest you drill into the "SCARY NEAR MISS STATISTICS" in the USA with their different rules. Their sloppy incident reporting distorts that picture further. I've many friends who fly GA in the USA and they are **** scared near some busy pieces of airspace and would love to have the "positive separation" that our pilots enjoy. Europe is worse!
The untrained and ill informed folk commenting here who want an OPEN ALL HOURS Lane down the Coast just do not get it. I would NOT ALLOW you to fly down a lightie lane whilst fighters were screaming overhead about to drop bombs on a nearby range or fire cannon. What if the fighter fragged himself and had to eject and a wayward jet wobbled through that lane and into the side of your aircraft? Would you be happy? I think not, and you wouldn't be on here saying stupid things about matters you have no knowledge or direct experience of. The rules are there for YOUR SAFETY, not to piss you off or unnecessarily delay you.
I used to clear everyone through ASAP but I would never knowingly put any civil aircraft in the way of POTENTIAL DANGER.
Dick - you have, no matter how you couch it, bad mouthed all of us. The RAAF ATC Officer Corps is tight knit, professional, flexible, open to suggestion and change. But we will NOT, NEVER EVER be dictated to a change where SAFETY is or may be COMPROMISED.. Get that through your seemingly demented head will you.