They're not deliberately 'torturing' PG 5 applicants but there's no escaping the fact that Australia's immigration program is run to benefit Australia and its skills needs and your occupation is simply no longer needed.
I don't know where you got the idea that there is an "extremely low influx of higher priorities new applications" as that doesn't appear to be supported by the facts (though numbers have certainly dropped to some extent), but in any case, then processing of the 10,000 PG5 applications that DIAC said would be processed this year will be done in the current Program Year which ends on 30 June 2012. Don't forget either that NO new applications for points tested visas will be accepted between 1 July and 31 December 2012 and that break will allow processing of a large backlog of applications from all groups.
EDIT:
Your 'research' was probably on the internet and it's another inescapable fact that the internet provides a perfect avenue for the venting of views from extreme minorities who make so many posts and scream so loudly that their views can appear to be held by millions rather than a few hundred noisy bigots and xenophobes.
The vast majority of Australians welcome legal immigration via the right channels and the government knows that and holds the view that immigration of skilled people is in Australia's best interests in both the short and long term - they take zero notice of the bigots and xenophobes. The Australian government and the people of Australia also know and appreciate that our need for tradespeople (in trades where there is a shortage of workers) is just as critical as for professionals and in some regions is even greater. Your problem is that your occupation isn't one that is in demand now that the SOL better reflects the real need for workers than it did in the past when the SOL was far too long. If you genuinely have a future working in Australia in your occupation, you should be able to find employer sponsorship and if you can find sponsorship, why not forget the visa you're waiting for and make a fee free visa application? RSMS and ENS visas are in PGs 1 and 2
http://www.immi.gov.au/skilled/skilled-workers/ens/fee-free-visa-apps.htm Fee free visa applications
EDIT #2
You pounced on my use of the terms 'bigots' and 'xenophobes' and apparently completely missed the fact that I was saying that there are only a few of them in comparison to the vast majority of the Austrelaian population AND that the government recognises them for what they are and completely ignores what they say.
You also missed the point about sponsorship. If you get sponsorship for a 121/856 permanent ENS visa, you get PR from day 1 of the visa grant and need no longer work for the sponsor. A 121/856 ENS visa has no strings attached.
From your attitude to Australia as evidenced by what you've written here; why on earth do you want to come here? Sounds like you loathe the place and Australians.