FOIs and AWIs can't change the way they do business without support from the top. A good boss sets the tone and changing the culture of an organisation can be a powerful tool for good. Neither an optimist or a pessimist but the noises coming from the top indicate that the new boss has correctly identified the problem and is trying to articulate a way forward.
I really feel for the GA industry in this country, my limited time working in GA did not leave me with great expectations either. A turn around in the industry as a whole really needs a Transport minister to champion GA. I don't think changes at CASA alone will help.