Why don't you guys consider using CFDs. I use City Index CFDs occasionaly (managing the risk very closely) to short. As long as you do not set and forget and can manage risk due to leverage/gearing and can use stop losses and limits it is a great way to short/trade in the short term. I would not suggest this as a long term strategy.
Medium to long term should be through fully paid or normal margin loan accounts. You have to understand why CFDs are recommended for short term. They are riskier than your normal margin loan accounts (like comsec etc) because the levarege can be up to 95% for some stocks. Hence you have to be careful.
It has worked well for me as I take only small positions with CFDs and most of my other medium or long term positions are either thorugh fully paid stocks and/or via normal margin loan (which only let you borrow up to 60% and I choose to borrow even less)
DCG Price at posting:
$2.40 Sentiment: None Disclosure: Not Held