VoR.
I'm flabbergasted. I've watched you say eloquently, and with factual backing, every point I and others have been trying to make about the NAS debacle. Then this.
Class E airspace needs to be defined before we can even decide what you are talking about. Are you talking about ICAO Class E, European Class E, or US Class E? All of them are slightly, yet fundamentally, different.
As you may or may not be aware, the average sector size (measured in NM) is on average, much larger in oz than the US. Oz controllers on a radar sector may typically have a range setting of 475NM. Now if you are an American, with an average range setting of, say, 125NM (or smaller), you will appreciate how much easier it is to spot unknown paints and separate them from your IFRs. Right there is a huge difference between the US of A and oz, which hasn't been addressed, no matter which Class E the ausNAS is going to use (using).
As for controllers being negative; why the hell shouldn't they? They do it like they are told and get called 'criminals' etc, they see a perfectly good system torn down FOR NO BENEFIT etc etc. It would only be someone totally bereft of any interest in their job- just turning up and taking the money- who wouldn't be negative.
There is much more to this than 'culture', and it's fairly shallow of you to suggest it. I haven't time now to go on with this, but I'm sure someone else can pick up the thread.
Class E may be safe enough in the US, but until oz does it EXACTLY like the US (with manning levels, sector sizes, radar coverage, RULES, etc) then the oz version just cannot be compared. You ought to know that.