However in Australia that alternate doesn't exist.
I think, neville, that you are referring to the European situation where flights always carry an alternate? In Australia, you
may be required to carry an alternate.
... they seem to be erring more on the operators side of the equation rather than safety.
Definitely.
For those aircraft not required to carry any VR, the chances they will eat into their FR following a minimum-fuel departure is a guaranteed 50%.
For turbines doing RPT and CHTR, the chance is (estimated) 25%.
Those are alarmingly high probabilities.