Visiting the US from Australia - Car insurance/rego etc

You're putting too much thought into this; just do what Vicente Fox's "Dual rights/psuedo citizens," have mastered. Come to the country by whatever means, work under somebody else's ID, get a license (too bad you speak english, you won't be employing a state-paid intrepretor), sign up for benefits, and then forget about anything else. My brother-in-law was rearended by one last year, and two weeks ago my buddy's niece was mowed down by one in a crosswalk (he took off; they caught him later. She is still in a coma...he might see a year in jail). I applaud you for trying to do it legal