It's very easy to argue that. Thousands of people to train, thousands of connections to plan, thousands of pits to retro fit, asbestos to handle. Business to be created, processes, negotiations with Telstra.
The biggest problem was not going fibre to the pit. It would have saved one of the most expensive parts of the operation - the lead in to the house.
However this doesn't mean users don't appreciate native widgets and UI consistency. In fact, this is a common complaint for windows, something that Microsoft is currently working on (at what ever pace)
Microsoft is firmly in the backwards compatibility at all costs camp - something which I definitely appreciate. This however comes at a cost and your example is one of them. I'm not suggesting this is not avoidable, but the complexity should not be understated.
If you're writing a tea timer perhaps chromium isn't the right tool for the job. I'd certainly be the first to agree and the author highlights this too. If your tiny application doesn't add much functionality, I'd even suggest that a multi platform solution isn't necessary.
However, if you are writing a full featured desktop application, it starts to become a sensible option.
I am in Australia, and have never come across "unisex toilets". Perhaps I'm misreading your comment, but I think you suggest a room of stall that can be used by all genders. I think by law however, there needs to be an "accessible" bathroom. This will be a single room which would likely fulfil the role.
The biggest problem was not going fibre to the pit. It would have saved one of the most expensive parts of the operation - the lead in to the house.