GADRIVR
What you and your esteemed instructor mates are up against is the reputation of THE MOST respected instructor in North Queensland. If people are failing to give credibility to your "fly by night" instructor mates, don't take it personally. Those who have known and respected Bob for a long long time come from ALL areas of fixed wing aviation in Nth Qld, and will regard any negativity towards him with great suspicion.
was regarded as a good instructor by everyone except Bob
I would accept Bob's opinion before ANY other instructor I have met anywhere in Australia.
Latest rumour is that he currently has a 14,000 hr pilot there for a CIR renewal who has been going for 2-3 weeks with no renewal in sight.
Bob does not "give away" CIR's. I would suggest this chap needs the training.
I haven't yet heard of someone's GFPT pre-flight test taking 4 hrs (and I know it was not knowledge issues).
Bob trains people to be pilots, not monkeys who know the rules. He trains to a standard, not a time frame. At the same time he is not guilty of dragging training out to glean a few more dollars off the poor student.