I love those ships, if Australia was ordering three or more of them i(or even the smaller and I believe more expensive Hyugas) I would not complain at all. As I see it they wouldn't even need F-35s, although provision to effectively operate them following a MLU would be a good idea, as the capability they would bring just with ASW helicopters alone would make the acquisition worthwhile. Add to that MCM, maritime support.(MH-60 Sierras, for anti surface, SOF support, CSAR, etc), AEW helicopters and we are talking a serious increase in capability and flexibility for the fleet. When you look at what VTOL and even STVOL or STOL UCAVs could bring, tilt rotors (Osprey or Valour), not to forget Tiger, MRH-90 and Chinook, along with the ability to maintain and repair other task force helicopters, aircraft and UAV/UCAVs, as well as to embark useful numbers of troops, the type makes even more sense.
Japanese doctrine uses them as the center piece of their ASW groups, each serving with an AEGIS DGG, a DGG and several DDs. Australia, with the smaller size of the RAN, could make even more radical use of them with each dramatically adding to the capability of a surface or escort group of an AWD and a couple of FFGs (FFG and ANZAC replacements). Imagine a future group of a DDH, AEGIS DDG, FFG and a pair or more of light frigates / corvettes (especially if they are adaptable multirole vessels with various LSC type mission modules). Such a group would be superb in any currently envisioned RAN tasking, as well as vastly superior in ASW, escort (or LHDs etc) and even independent power projection, i.e. deploying army aviation, infantry and special forces in scenarios where an LHD would be too vulnerable.
Like I said I see these ships as a transformational capability and would love to see three or more with the RAN, even if that does mean a reduction in major combatant numbers. This is because they bring far more capability than would be lost. In fact I would rate what the flight deck, hanger, maintenance, command and control medical facilities bring far higher than the benefits of another couple of variable depth or towed array sonars, or large VLS with SM-2/6 or Tomahawk, even without the transformational capability of the F-35B. Three AWD, three DDH and six new high end frigates would be very capable as well as highly affordable, add twelve corvettes (imagine a Turkish Milgem with CEAFAR, Mk-48 and LCS mission modules) using systems pulled through from the ANZACs and this is a very impressive fleet. Play with the numbers and make the ANZAC replacements more capable than the AWDs and the RAN could conceivably operate more DDH, say five or six AWD/Super ANZAC(R) and five or six DDH, plus ten or twelve corvettes.
Anyway, enough of the sensible, affordable, transformational fantasy and thread derailment and lets get back to the real world were like replaces like generation after generation.