That would mean using a server for the database, which means lots of meetings getting buy in only for it to be prioritized to get done 9 months later.

You also have to deal with DBAs who like to say no and permissions every time you have to make a change.

Even if you broke down all the bureaucratic barriers, Access is still quicker to make a simple to make a simple CRUD UI than Java swing.

Sometimes worse is better.

Not saying I would use Access today but that is because I became a software engineer who has more authority to use the proper tools. When I started out as an data analyst, Access was the only thing available I had to get the job done and it did it well.

The database could run local.

I have experience with both and the NetBeans UI designer is hardly much different.

Now if we compare languages, Basic dialects win hands down for such scenarios.