It took 10 months, three attempts and two workshops to get some minor accident damage repaired. By the 3rd attempt it was at a different smash repairer. It's better than the previous place, but still some things that need to be fixed up (buffing of paint runs and paint pimples).
Insurance company and assesor appeared to lose interest with my predicament after a while and nothing happened, but after kicking up a bit of a stink in a polite way things finally got done.
race_snooze, it didn't happen to be a repairer in Mitchell by any chance? I've discovered a number of people since my car went to them that had their cars with them and were unhappy with the work, and unimpressed with their attitudes towards customer's cars.