Folks,
For those of you who haven't, please have a look at what is actually included, it is NOT anything to do with conditions on the ground, liability for prop strikes, or anything else your fertile imagination can dream up, it is a list of geographical positions. And it is NOT just a few private ALAs.
These "official" positions are vital in compiling databases, whether for GPS/GNSS systems, FMCS systems, EFBs (Garmin/AvMap/OzRunways/Jeppesen) or, eventually, paper maps. Publishers are only permitted to publish data from "approved" sources, in Australia Airservices is the only source of such data.
In my opinion, Airservices has an obligation to obtain the information, including providing resources to obtain the information in an accurate and verifiable form, as many of the places listed will not have access to adequately reliable up to date data, nor the specialist expertise to obtain same.
Just imagine a letter turning up to:
The Approved Aeronautical Data Originator,
Upper Kikatinalong Shire Council,
PO Box 1,
GAFFA.
It would probably go straight into File 13 as junk mail
Tootle pip!!
PS: Two on the Victorian list are Tyabb, and Lilydale, not your average idea of an ALA