GA review was out yesterday.... https://bitre.gov.au/publications/2017/cr_001.aspx

Sunfish,
This is one time I am going to have to disagree with you, and I am speaking from the point of view of "being there". As "on the spot","in the room" (or wherever we were), often with the only notes taken by the Minister and/or me, or a colleague with me.
Both Sharp and Vaile set things up so the real decisions were made without the "benefit" of set-piece formal meeting with "industry", the basic program was set before the end 1996 elections. Look up "Soaring into Tomorrow
Interestingly, John Anderson followed the same pattern, with a "big bang" shakeup of CASA planned, but he got blown out of the water by OPM&C politics, John Howard got cold feet, even though Kim Beazley supported the plan, he had no time for CASA either, based on his Ministerial experiences.
I have a far better opinion of Anderson as a Minister than most, because I know what he wanted to do would have sorted the CASA KULTCHA once and for all --- essentially a "scorched earth" and start again approach.
Interestingly Martin Ferguson, and principal and aviation advisors agreed, that the problems in CASA were so intractable and so entrenched, that anything less drastic would fail. How do I know, because I discussed the matter at length with them.
And look where we are, all these years later!!
Tootle pip!!

Thank you for your depressing observation leadsled. I agree with you. Nothing less than scorched earth will work.

Reading the BITRE report on GA statistics reminds me of the Monty Python "Ex Parrot" comedy sketch. GA is just as dead as that parrot and no amount of blathering about "growth in aerial mustering" is going to change it. The report neatly skirts around what actually matters to the Australian economy - Aviation contributions to jobs investment and growth. I pity the poor bastard who had to write it.

Whilst you may view the growth in the mustering and allied industry as simply "blathering", those of us that work in those industries would disagree with your puerile summation.
Further to that, I find your input to commercial aviation to be humorous to say the least. Perhaps get a job in the commercial side, rather than build yourself a little toy aircraft, and you may have a different viewpoint.

Eddie, you might want to re-read what Subfish wrote. He isn't having a go at mustering, etc. or their growth. He is saying that it won't have enough impact to revive GA in general, no matter how positively the report spins the growth in mustering. It's just not enough to carry the whole of GA.

mean while, out here in the GAFA, there are a fair few jobs going in GA. Yes smaller workshops and organisations are closing, but they are being replaced by larger and better equipped places. No longer are the punters being bashed about the bush in 40 year old badly maintained heaps of ****.
Flying schools need to assess what prospective students want to fly in, not present them with thrashed aircraft and then cry when no one is interested.