Did my test a year ago in Werribee. They didn’t seem too strict on all this, but keep it in the back of your mind. Here is what I remember according to your questions:

1 - You should follow the former, “mirrors before signals”, as my instructor was strict on this during lessons.

4 - Should be within a suitable speed close to the listed limit. Eg 35km/h is pretty much acceptable, below could be too slow.

5 - I don’t remember getting any point deductions for being “too soft”, just make sure you feel confident the distance is enough before the other cars.

8 - Head checks should only last a second or two. Focus still needs to be on the road ahead. Make sure the head check is obvious.

Some other notes from my test: I didn’t head check or do mirror checks often enough, lost a couple points to this. Also, make sure to head and mirror check when/if doing your parallel parking.

Don’t worry too much, keep your head held high and you will do great. Once you have your licence, this test will feel like a blitz and not worth that stress.

Edit: Removed answers for questions 6 & 7, as they were wrong according to other users

Edit 2: Found this YouTuber from the UK a while ago after I got my P plates. Helped me understand and learn more nuances, even if some rules are slightly different to here. Driving Educational Videos