Interesting post Blippy. I think it's the first one you said - crap job at the right thing. However, as most in the ATC world know, controllers tend to do the best they have with the resources at hand. When the training system was hacked close to death a few years ago (hey, training takes up too much money - lets scale it back!), it made a dint in things so big that it will take quite a while to recover. Given the lack of controllers in the field, ops are reluctant to release controllers to the college.
I believe there are some new instructors arriving there at the moment, and I know there are lots of people who would love to work in Oz at the college. If they want more instructors, they should seriously consider quality overseas people and train them up in Oz ATC practices. I know some very experienced instructors who would love to work there, but get knocked back for having no Australian experience. Ab-initio trainees have no Oz ATC experience either, and they get trained up, so why not instructors?
Best of luck to those starting their course, those on course, and those about to finish.
Showa-cho.