Folks,
Dick and Frank have got it right.
You can put lipstick on a pig, but it is still a pig.
If most other nations can survive with pilot license regulation of around 100 pages,+/-, plus advisory material, why do we need what is now over 2200 pages and growing, and the increased cost are not just "a bit more", they are becoming crippling.
As an example I have quoted before, it has proved cheaper to fly a private air ambulance aircraft from Singapore empty to the mid-Pacific, pick up a patient and fly them to Brisbane, then position the aircraft back to Singapore empty, than fly a similar aircraft from Brisbane and back to Brisbane.
That is what Dick means about Australia being uncompetitive on costs, costs Australian jobs.
And before you start screaming "cheap Asian labor", the Singapore based pilots are paid more than generally here, with a much lower tax rate.
The huge difference in costs are largely regulatory costs, although cheaper finance and insurance in Singapore helps --- the cheaper insurance largely comes about because of CAAS standing with ICAO -- no loading for regulatory risk.
Tootle pip!!