Sonique,
If your colleague has obtained e-mail addresses from AO or QF, then an outrageous breach of confidentiality and securty has taken place for which all parties are to be condemned. This issue needs to be addressed and pursued with great gusto by AO staff.
Don't waste time with the rabble that pretend to be AO management as they appear to be a group of lame stooges put there by Qantas as a front for their agenda. For example, why are the public statements coming from a Qantas exec (Brown) rather than from any of the AO people who bask in glory with the great and grandiose titles of CEO or Head of.... but who are powerless do do really much at all without Qantas's say-so????