Kharon...
Should Dolan grasp the nettle now, while he retains some control of the process...
Fair comment, but I think it's safe to say that Dolan is no longer effectively in control, and is simply doing as he's being told. Which is, as you describe, to buggerise around and prevaricate about the matter until it's too late to do anything effective before caretaker mode sets in and shuts down everything.
I reckon Cactusjack is correct, and that Dolan's days are numbered. He's 'damned if he does and damned if he doesn't', so he's really got nothing more to lose by continuing with the idiotic delay tactics that he's now engaging in.
We can only hope that the new government will ensure that as one of its first acts, it makes sure that there is a clean sweep of the management 'clowns' presently in position at the ATSB so that it has a chance to regain its former (BASI) reputation.