Followed the links posted by smerall and kepts digging into the subject: it's the government here in Australia, partly responsible for the high costs (for books and eBooks). Thank you again for that.
The high cost in general in Australia (relatively - you should try Europe) are usually to do with shipping cost - we don't produce much here.
Thanks for the redirection to you bookshop. Dublin watch out, I'm on my way. Stock the shelves
And yes, Publishers and most Booksellers are idiots. I'd be happy to pay the authors their royalties but no way are the publishers and booksellers getting that kind of money for sending me a file.