Wow! This is a great thread, I am actually in the same boat. I need a set of 2.0 speakers to use at my PC on my desk!
I'd like to throw in the Edifier Airpulse A100 into the ring as well as they are currently around $799 AUD lowest they've been is $699 AUD. However, it's pretty hard to find reviews on them, but the reviews I've found seem to be positive and the smaller brother the A80 has reviewed pretty decently. They are along with the Kanto YU6 the current front runners on my list.
I share your concerns about the low end, and it's difficult to find something with a small enough footprint to still sit on the desk that can deliver impactful low frequencies.
I've eliminated the A5+ from my personal list because of potential reliability issues in the hot Australian summers.
I had the Edifier S2000mkiii on the list as well (on sale they are under $400 AUD) but removed them due to no sub out (in case I wanted to add a sub in the future)
As a Canadian who has moved to Australia there are a few things I need to add:
1. The AUD is currently worth about 93c CAD, your numbers are inversed. In the time I've been living here, the currency has fluctated from being worth $1.05 CAD down to $0.80 CAD with it mostly being between around $0.90 to $0.95 CAD.
2. Prices in Australia are tax inclusive.
3. Wages tend to be higher here but similar cost of living (comparing major cities to major cities) with amazing sick leave and annual leave entitlements (average income in Australia is ~$90K AUD per year, or 84K CAD with the current exchange rates)
4. Shipping to Australia can get very expensive

5. There is an 'Australia tax' where random brands/items cost way more in Australia compared to other countries (some Klipsch speakers are a good example...where they are are more than double in Australia when compared to buying from the US including shipping!)
6. We have the Australian Consumer Law, which to my knowledge has no known equivalent in Canada, which can force manufactures or local retailers to replace/repair items well outside their warranty period.
7. Australia is a tiny island market with limited competition amongst distributors.
The Kanto YU6 when they go on sale (which sales tend to happen more and more often) is around $670 AUD, which equates to ~$625 CAD which equates to ~$570 CAD before taxes

so similar pricing (at the current exchange rate).
The other speakers...yeah we get ripped off