Lead Balloon, so very, very true.
So how do we fix it?
Refuse to comply with the pointless Regs? (That will end well. Not.)
Bombard the new Minister with reasons why we need change?
Make this a matter in any state or federal election coming up?
Write to the newspapers, etc, stating basic arguments for the layperson to understand?
We are aware of what the problem is, so how to fix it? One place I see as a handy place to start is for AOPA (or similar) to get the maintenance costs for a Cessna 206 or a Piper PA 31, and compare them across countries - Canada, En Zed, Australia, Africa. Let’s see how the different regulations contribute to the costs of operating aircraft in different countries. Then let’s see what can be removed from Aussie Regs. I know one good place to start - it is a requirement that the exhausts on a PA31 be inspected every 60 hours. But this doesn’t kick in when the exhaust is x hours old - the inspections start from when the exhaust is brand new. Yes, I am aware that older exhausts have issues, so why not start the inspections when the exhaust is 750 (or whenever) hours old. Why start the 60 hourly inspections from brand new? And why 60 hourly - why can’t they be inspected at 50 hours or 100 hours, to tie in with times when the aircraft could reasonably be inspected to be in the workshop? Not every owner or operator has a maintenance workshop on their doorstep.