I would like to make a number of observations in the interests of generating more light than heat.
Firstly Mr. Smith, I saw you at the Ark with the sceptic and Doug some years ago but avoided talking to you since you had a heap of science minded ankle biters in tow. I appreciate what you are trying to do and the logic that underpins it even though I am a mere PPL etc. etc.
Secondly. I am afraid you have fallen, like me, into the error when dealing with public servants of calling a spade a spade. This of course begs the question of whether CASA is public service or a statutory corporation and they jump from one side to the other when it suits them.
The answer you got was what passes for the classic response to a personal attack on a public servant. A public servant has no power. His career rests on his file and there had better be no blemishes.
The response you got is exactly what I would expect from an alleged attack on the integrity of a public servant. I say "alleged" because of the chameleon like behaviour of CASA - one minute dedicated limp wrested public servants merely giving effect to Government policy, the next independent leaders of the aviation safety movement on a mission from God.
To sum it up you wrote in the tone of voice to the "leader" and they quickly adopted the supine public servant role and that required Skidmores response.
One should have then asked the obvious question: If CASA are merely public servants worthy of AVM Skidmores spirited defence, then where did the Ukase regarding fitment of ADS=B come from? Obviously not the aforementioned Mr. Campbell, he is just by his own admission a clerical functionary and you should not have abused him.
This is the game CASA are very good at playing: Fearless Regulators bandleaders of the Safety crusade one minute and merely simple public servants doing the Governments will, the next.
P.S. Not that it would have produced a better result, the safest method of querying such decisions is to "fail to understand" which leaves room for face saving, but I'm sure you know that.
P.P.S. I would assume that any letter coming to CASA from Dick Smith would automatically be handled with Asbestos gloves. The only way out of this mess is via politics in my opinion. Aviation is just too hard for politicians unless they have their noses shoved in it.