As a professional pilot and one that has used class E on a regular basis, I am of the belief that much of this discussion is associated with a lack of understanding of how E should work, together with our Oz culture of not wanting to embrace any change, especially when the education is poor to non existent and is certainly not standardised. E has its place, but like other parts of pilot education, to date I believe airspace design and procedures has been lacking somewhat. To my knowledge it is still not subject to many/any questions in the various licence exams(??).
The MNG accident shows that even experienced instructors can get it wrong. I have been there many times on training flights with sometimes lots of traffic about, but it all seems to have worked out ok in my time.
The way that class E is viewed by current VFR and IFR pilots is sometimes very different and this in my view unfortunately relates to the above mentioned poor education and lack of standardisation.
Mention of how they do it in the States, reminds me of a chap I spoke to once on this matter and he said that once clear of the airfield of departure in Class E (which in most of the US has a base of 1500ft) he turns the radio down and the music up!!