On Tuesday, 20 June 2017 15:45:04 UTC+10, Don Johnstone wrote:

From another thread it has been confirmed that in Australia low tow
is the standard position behind the tug.

Definitely. All our training from the first tow is in low position for climb. We'll go high if doing a cross-country tow, and some clubs use high tow for the first couple of hundred feet of the launch, but low is our teaching here.

There is, however, a second factor: All gliders have been mandated to have nose hooks installed when brought into the country. This was instituted in mid 80's after a couple of upset accidents resulting in multiple deaths. It is rare to see a glider with only a belly release. Mandated nose releases as a local requirement were removed a couple of years ago as CS22 effectively mandated them for aerotow certification anyway. No need to duplicate the rules.

Also, I believe Schweizer tow hooks here are illegal. I've only ever seen TOSTs on tugs here. Don't quote me on that though. I've been doing a quick search while writing this up and can't find out either way.

Does using low tow offer a solution to the ring jam with a Schweizer
hook given that there is almost no chance of glider getting too high
behind the tug?
Tug upsets should be almost unknown in Australia, are they?

I haven't heard of one in the last 30 years or so (I started gliding in 1987). There's been a few ground loops from wing drops in paddocks on CG releases, but nothing resulting in a tug pilot looking at the ground due to kiting.