I can't comment on the financial side of it, not being familiar with Oz rules. From a practical/educational standpoint though...
I don't, personally, think going thru F/W first is ideal in all circumstances. I'm not saying these guys are wrong, just my opinion, but...
It's certainly true that experienced FW people have an easier run going to helis, but I don't think we're talking about an experienced FW person here are we? We're talking about getting a PPL(A) and then continuing more or less straight away with PPL(H) training, yeah? Unless there's going to be a reasonable time frame to "bed down" fixed wing flying habits, build experience, and so on, I think it would be better to start and go on with (H) training only. It's true, the learning curve is sharper, but then there will also be no F/W habits to unlearn later on. Particularly important I think when those F/W habits are NEW habits, which your man won't have had time to experience properly and think thru thoroughly. These new habits could surface at a bad time, the best example being the famous "shove forward cyclic" recovery technique that FW pilots bring to RW. Perfect in a FW recovering from a stall/gaining airspeed for control/etc, not so wise in an R22. (It took me a year of constant practice, in my car, at work, whatever, to be sure I would "dump" my LEFT hand, not my right, in a RW crisis)
Robinson is correct in saying that high time FW pilots are another risk factor for helicopters, or Robbies anyway, for a number of different reasons. Not all of these would apply to your (presumably) LOW-time FW pilot, but it's still another risk factor.
My personal opinion would be that, all things being equal, one would be best to immerse oneself totally in the art and science of helicopter flying; to read widely, hang out on the (more civilised parts of) pprune and so on; to try hard to not be in a "money-saving" mentality - cos penny pinching can be almost unbelievably expensive; to cultivate relationships with experienced - and COMMUNICATIVE - helicopter pilots/instructors; try to focus only on the heli flying (ie not trying to shoehorn instruction between stressful business meetings); be in no hurry to buy a heli (especially cos it's not nearly as cheap as it looks, and owning makes renting look like a bargain); and practice like a madman. Oh, and don't forget the "ongoing training" part of safe new PPL operation - ideal to go for dual once a month, I reckon, maybe once every two.
And just a parting comment on the R22. Personally, I think it's a good machine. I know it gets a bad rap - I see the comment above re ultralights, and I have a friend, an RNZAF Iroquois pilot, who will fly anywhere with me in any aeroplane but won't get in the 22 - and I HOPE I'm not putting my life in danger flying my own. For what it's worth, I would never fly a homebuilt helicopter (I do fly a number of homebuilt F/Ws) but I'm quite happy with the 22. I think its primary "flaw" is its lightweight rotor system, which means you have 0.8 of a second - apparently - to dump collective on engine failure. That, and the need for carb heat, mean it's not a forgiving machine, and best suits people who are kinda nutty about helis and fly all the time, think. If I had my way, that reaction time would be tripled. The 44 has a lot more intertia in the rotor system, and best suits people who may not fly so much, and have other interests outside aviation too. (Can you believe it - some people do. I find that bizarre
I hope that's helpful.