Good point ixixly,
the government should have got Geoffrey Thomas to advise them on this one.
Seriously though if you break the whole thing down it's not Rocket science.
Q.Are people that don't meet Annex 1 chapter 4 requirements permitted by ICAO to certify for airworthiness? (Regardless of holding licence)
A.No
Q. Do Australia's maintenance regulations permit a person that isn't required to meet ICAO Annex 1 chapter 4 standards,(I.e. A specialist maintainer) to certify for airworthiness?
A.Yes
Q. Is Australia ICAO compliant?
A.No
Q.Does Europe allow that?
A.No - EASA requires certification to be carried out by a person qualified to part 66 ( except in limited circumstances)
Q. Is EASA ICAO compliant
A. Yes
Simple