...and yet if you want to look at high labour costs look at:
Sweden: Essentially a socialist state yet they have SAAB
Switzerland: Very, very expensive to operate there yet they have Pilatus
Japan: Mitsubishi (the new RJ)
Canada: Bombardier
even New Zealand: Fletcher
In a country as vast and aircraft-reliant as ours, the fact we have no homegrown aircraft industry and have to import the likes of Pilatus' from Switzerland is appalling.
I guess that means the end of the re-emergence of the Nomad? Not that that aircraft was ever a stellar example of what Australia could produce but the concept was sound and there is still a significant requirement for sturdy aircraft in this category (which is why the Twin Otter is back in production).
And the original GA8 was also a sound concept and, if the above is a done deal, will hopefully go on to flourish in its own right.