Wouldn't surprise me at all if this happened.
I flew with a CSS last week who had only been with Qantas 2 WEEKS!!! (LHR base) She had been called out of catagory due to shortage of CSS's.
She was lovely but had no idea. So if on a full flight she has done the service late they would have had to circle around in order to collect service items from the cabin.
On this flight though she had several Aussie crew on board who new how the timing/service worked.
Makes me wonder why they didn't ask me (with several years) experience or on of the other crew to operate as CSS? How I remember, we would be asking for additional payment to operate out of catagory where as this new girl has no idea you get out of catagory allowances.....saving cents yet again.
Qantas the spirit of tight arsed, mean, lying management.