Let’s not all jump to conclusions.
Re Post #1 – I recall that fire extinguishers have to be pressure tested every five years, and as that means taking them away to be evacuated and tested it’s quite possible that it was indeed a representative of your Plan’s contractors who was seen to do that, and as all the extinguishers could have been originally supplied/installed at the same time, it’s conceivable that all were taken off-site.
I just found the pdf of the Invoice in the amount of $1,227.60 for replacing six or our Plan’s nine fire extinguishers in 2008, and I’d made a notation on it to the effect that it was cheaper to replace those than to have them pressure tested; sorry but I didn’t note how much cheaper.
Has anyone asked your Plan’s contractors if their Rep. removed the old fire extinguishers, and why they’re quoting to replace those as opposed to testing, refilling, and re-certifying the old ones? They may be doing you a favour, but in any case your Owners Corporation doesn’t have to purchase the new extinguishers from its inspecting/testing contractor; shop around!
Can’t explain the shortened hoses on the Reels, unless of course someone wants to (deeply) inhale the wacky stuff from a mega-hose 
.
Re Post #4 – As for the implications of the (NSW) Workplace Health and Safety Act, audits and associated activities don’t (yet) apply to Strata Plans that are entirely residential, so whilst that doesn’t mean that Executive Committees of such Plans shouldn’t keep an eagle-eye on possible risks on its Common Property, there’s no opportunity for Strata Managers and Contractors to “scam and rort” unless the Owners Corporation allows them to.
PS – Just seached for an earlier invoice. A 4.5kG dry chemical extinguisher cost $218 to remove / pressure test / re-install in 2007 and a new one of the same capacity / type cost $168 in 2008. Whale 16/11