VH-XXX
IMHO it is/was always about being safe. During my time as a CFI the candidate didn't have to be a "gun", sure they goofed up radio calls and were a little sloppy on the pedals, and no were not as polished as CPL/ATPL's but they were weekend warriors, and were entitled to be just that. As long as they were safe they were ok with me. Most are/were nervous and aprehensive and a little frightened of making a mistake for fear of failure, but its all about fixing deficiencies and making that rectification an enjoyable experience. I always started with a cup of coffee and a talk about our favourite topic.....aeroplanes and moved on from there. BTW, i only ever charged for aircraft time, never my time on the ground, i enjoy passing on my experience.....you can't buy experience.
I honestly believe the AFR should be a learning curve for those that need refreshing on all procedures be it wx, planning or basic flying skills.