Overseas airspace – how did I ever live?

[Sandy Reith]

Just catching up here, for those that are too young to know what it was like, even with the dopey old system, the buzz and activity, growth and flying businesses starting up everywhere despite the Can'tberra idiocy I can assure you that there are those of us that want better for our country and if repetition comes with the territory please try to understand the passionate frustration.
The attitude, Penguin perfect, quote "Throw in a couple of inbounds on different radials and delaying Dick becomes the most efficient use of the airspace."
Once upon a time: Had charter to Tulla, "can't take your IFR plan we are a bit busy" "ok says I, I'll go VFR and hope you can fit me in so my PAX don't miss their Qantas flight". Led by the nose all around the ML CTR quite likely by Le Pen... as above, finally a clearance the last airliner landing twelve miles from me.
Since then gradually they have had imposed on us the worst aviation system in the developed world. The most unworkable rules, strict liability criminal sanctions for all sorts of ordinary behaviour that in the US wouldn't even rate a mention, let alone penalties. Huge fees and extended delays for completely unnecessary permissions, i.e. flying school AOCs (one Grade 3 application nearby to me $8000 upfront, Jeff Boyd tells me should be ok with the new CASA standard ops manual!) months and months still not done.
Have you any idea how bad it's got?
Maintenance criteria and apprentice qualification expense hurdles all beyond reason and are causing the slow death of GA and the loss of experienced personnel. AVMED is now AVMAD, and, with our tax dollars, they are fighting a rearguard action to prevent even the loss of one bed feather. SIDS, control cables, wing bolts and engines out of twelve year calendar. Millions of dollars thrown into the bin to satisfy the gorging machine of Aviation Hearse (spelling error?).
How could this happen? Pretty simple, 1980s Thatcher (hero) set the stage for an amazing revival of Britain with privatisation. Our devious bureaucrats jumped on the band wagon with Government Business Enterprises. What a fantastic idea! These independent umpires, not subject to Public Service rules, could set fees for service and completely remove the Minister from responsibility from the black smoking hole that will occur one day.
Brilliant!
The Board of Management would set the salaries and conditions, the fatuously titled Director of Air Safety would do everything else and the Board would do nothing.
Too bad they did not see that the Westminster system was being totally trashed. That it cannot work if the Minister has no responsibility. That it cannot work when the administration has no political incentive to make it work in an acceptable manner to the reasonable citizen.
So the Act must be changed with 'promote and foster', as per Air Services, and the idiotic Statement of Expectations must go in favour of, at the very least, Statement of Directions including sanctions for non performance against KPIs.