Soteria:
Quite simply it goes to show how utterly fu#ked CASA is and how utterly corrupt successive governments have been when at the end of the day nothing has changed after all these years, inquires and reviews.
CASA puts a very simple value proposition to successive Governments that they always accept:
1. Aviation issues will never win you an election. The only aviation issue the public is concerned about are cheap flights, aviation noise in inner Sydney and a second airport at Badgerys creek. There is therefore no need for you to invest any time and effort on the subject.
2. If you take any action apart from spouting motherhood policy statements, you will be blamed by the public if a major crash occurs. There is no electoral "upside" from messing with this. There is only "downside" if you meddle.
3. Considering there is no upside and only downside for you in acting in aviation, then leave us in charge to do what we like. We give you electoral protection via plausible deniability and diffusion of responsibility. You can always blame us, we will then provide sacrificial lambs to absolve you of any guilt whatsoever."
....and each Government since at least as early as 1990 has accepted that bargain for those reasons.