kingpomba- getting a CSP spot at any med school interstate, even getting a loan to help pay for accommodation (i'd go to college and be fed and all that then live back in melbourne during breaks) it's actually not that much if you think about the easiness of eventually being able to pay it back. it's definitely an option, but really, depends on how much you want it, having parents you are willingly wanting to support you is also a good thing to have, but it's definitely possible to do so without their aid. (could even get youth allowance, etc.)
stonecold- in a few years there is going to be an official guarantee on all CSP med school places getting an internship, this was released last month this information it could happen next year or the year after but unlikely. but the time we are out of med school there is a very very high chance this will be in place, i could almost be certain. so don't worry about that, we are definitely going to get an internship as lots more money is going into the hospitals to increase internship places and then in a few years after the same is happening with specialities:)
anddd depends on the uni, some med schools go from jan right to nov/dec (these are mainly the graduate ones) so the others are normally feb-nov, maybe even less for the first few years.