I'm not sure what part of Australia the OP is from, but in the leagues I've played in we don't get low quality balls. Now that I don't play at a decent level and play club cricket, we still use balls which are A$60 each even in the lowest grades and juniors. There's no possibility of substituting the balls because they are all branded specifically by the association and need to be purchased directly from them. This is at a premium over RRP which I think is crazy, but I suppose they have a captive market.
I think the bat is repairable, but it will probably never be the same and longevity will be an issue. Disappointing for a $1000 bat but it's a natural product and this stuff happens.