Purchase of New Hybrid - Advice needed

Hi everyone!

I have finally decided to start commuting with a bike.
I am almost a beginner but not quite. I did the RTA ride last Sunday (50km) in Sydney and did rather well on my old rusty MTB.

I have decided on a Hybrid bike and the budget has to stay under AUS$1000.
So it will have to be close to entry level bikes.
From what I have seen in Sydney, it pretty much comes down to the Giant Cypress, Farago or Innova or the Avanti Discovery, Explorer or Pioneer or maybe a Shogun?

Any suggestion as to which are the most reliable/convertable/value-for-money...
An old review on choice magazine went for the Giant and said the Avanti were not very reliable.

Any feedback would be great as I enter the wonderful and mysterious world of bike shops a virgin.