I'd like to know who buggered up the working system we had up until the 90's
??
Yep, maybe Airservices has saved a few bucks by sacking staff, however, perhaps they've also managed to spend that money elsewhere over the years.
Besides the money issue, is aviation in Australia safer since Dick took a torch to it?
I used to work within the bureaucracy and I used to fly a lot. Even with my "inside" knowledge, I find it difficult now to keep up with the rule and airspace changes. It's a lot easier to just stay on the ground.
The old "50s system", as Dick likes to call it, was indeed simple, intuitive and obviously safe. Can we say the same about today's environment?