Come on LB, you know the answer to that. The role of the regulator is to protect the Minister and by default the government and the role of the Chief Pilot is to protect the company from CASA audits. The only person protecting the pilot is the pilot him/herself. It has always been like this! Any pilot who thinks that the rules and regs are going to protect him/her when the situation goes pear shaped, especially for marginal operations, is operating in a world of delusion. Why do you think the OM's always state that the fuel decision is ultimately the PIC responsibility? It lets the company of the hook if not enough is carried. Why do you think that the Airservices state that traffic holding for specific amounts of time at specific times of day are advisories only? It lets them off the hook when more traffic holding is required. You seem very reluctant to accept that the PIC has no other responsibility than to operate strictly IAW the OM and CASA regs and that if something bad happens then its not their fault. The PIC has a lot of autonomy to operate his/her aircraft however they see fit. Certainly not outside of the rules but they are not restricted by the rules if they consider the safe operation of their aircraft warrants it. So Pelair did not mandate full fuel but they did not prohibit it either. The weather reports were not automatically provided but they were not withheld if asked for. The crew could have declared a Mayday and the published minima would no longer have been a restriction but they chose not to. All decisions ultimately resting with the PIC.