Because of the changes introduced during my time at CAA/CASA pilots call ATC directly- not through a third party.
So that's a start. If that had been allowed on the night I bet the pilot would have gone coastal .
Now we need to remove the military enforced flight planning restriction re planning the safest way down the coast for non pressurized aircraft.
Isn't it interesting how hard it is to get this change. I bet the RAAF doesn't know why it has to remain but probably no one empowered to actually have it changed.
They can't even introduce MOA's. - leave everything as it was in 1940!