Welcome to IIS Patrick!
For under $700, by far the best telescope you can get is a 10" GSO Dobsonian. Couple of dealers:
www.bintelshop.com.au
www.andrewscom.com.au
If you want something closer to home (with Synta/Saxon/Skywatcher Dobs):
www.staroptics.com.au
www.sirius-optics.com.au
For under $500, the 8" Dobs are excellent also and will leave you with enough spare change for some accessories. They are a great size to start (and stick) with. With a very minor modification (couple of handles on the base) these can be turned into true grab-and-go scopes.
The larger aperture of these instruments makes a huge difference in what objects you will be able to see and the detail you will see in them.
Dobsonian mounts are inexpensive but sturdy and easy to use. Scopes on EQ mounts in this price range tend to be wobbly and frustrating. They may look more high-tech but don't let that fool you. It's usability that counts.
Re collimation: I have f/4, f/5, and f/6 Newtonians. By far the easiest to collimate is the f/4, for the simple reason that I can reach the collimation screws while looking through the focuser. The procedure is the same regardless of f-ratio. It's true that faster scope will need collimating more often (all else being equal), but that should not influence your decision. Having said that I'd recommend sticking to f/5 or slower, but for other reasons (demand on eyepieces, coma).