I am probably in the minority here but I despise anything pop up or soft sided for sleeping.... Yes its nice to have the breeze blowing through while cooking or having a beer or watching a storm but the flapping and wind and insulation side of things just dont add up for me.. Now I obviously have not been in this rig, so maybe I am speaking out of turn here, but I have spent a night or two in a pop up camper in high wind and rain and cold temps and it just flat sucks. (not sure how to translate that into Aussie slang) I am a light sleeper which does not help matters any for me.
Depending on where you are taking this rig, I would almost rather have the small height increase given by the pop-up section in a hard top, so definitely interested to see that model coming.
Personally, I would prefer the regular cab version and either more living space or a a shorter overall rig. Two spares is the way to go for sure. As for repairs there was an article on repair kits in Overland Journal within the last year or two. Maybe you can find it online. Some of the kits had side wall repair options, large patches and even sewing kits.
As for the bathroom, a high CFM fan should take care of any undesired results while in use and if that is an issue for your travelling partner, maybe you should get a new partner or travel alone. It's just part of life unless something is different in OZ than in America.
cheers