now remove the overseas student activity from the GA mix and you will see real decline.
in terms of the political mantra of jobs, investment and growth both parties and the regulator have utterly and completely failed to produce an environment conducive to growth in the GA aviation sector.
While it is tempting to suggest that this state of affairs is an unstated but desirable policy result, I.prefer to think it is the result of employing brain dead ex RAAF morons, starting with the Director of Aviation who have never worked a day in their lives except at taxpayer expense and thus have no conception of the private sector environment, nor perhaps being a powerless private citizen.
To put that another way, they are like vampires that have no existence outside the darkness that is Canberra - they suck our blood.
...and another thing, how many RAAF pilots get put through the alcohol/liver function test regime forced by AVMED on private pilots at the slightest excuse? Not any I bet which considering what I've seen in one or two RAAF Messes is remarkable.