Part of the key differences between Australia and Here is how united the pilots organisations are in their fight to maintain their status quo or indeed even improve their conditions for aviation. Here is Australia thereare constant squabbles between the different branches of aviation. You only have to look at the threads on this site to find people complaining about gliders and RAAus, or suggesting that homebuilts need more restriction. The converse is true on other sites, with complaints about RPT doing straight in approaches at uncontrolled fields. Until the participants unite to a common purpose the continuation of Aviation in this country in under threat.
One person, and he's a no one (sorry couldn't resist), has got it right. While Australians are only prepared to whinge to their peers rather than get off their backsides, join an organisation that is prepared to fight for aviation, then GA will continue to go down the drain.
For all those who talk about CASA and the government being so stupid, look in a mirror. They know that they can do what they like because the Australian public are too stupid to put aside their petty grievances with each other to organise into a united front. It reminds me of the scene from Monty Python's "The Life Of Brian" where they keep complaining of the splitters. Just look at the threads we have had on splits in the warbird community, AOPA and others. Trivial in comparison with what is being done to aviation as a whole.
The Archerfield group reminds me of what was one of the very few successful groups to stop a major airfield being carved up for development, Jandakot. It was an example of a group putting aside their differences to achieve a common aim. Forget about government inquiries, that is just a re-arrangement of the deck-chairs as the results show that governments of all persuasions are to blame for the regulatory mess and the toxic relationship that now exists between the regulator and the aviation sector.
The great unwashed, better known as the Australian public, couldn't give a rats anus about aviation so long as they can get a discount fare to Bali or where ever. Besides, every government knows that if things get tough for them they can always press the button marked "xenophobia" and rely on our fear of the yellow peril to stop any mumblings of discontent.
The biggest danger to general aviation in Australia is US because we won't do anything but whinge to stop those who would destroy that sector of the industry.