Dixon has his "facts" wrong. Emirates is owned by the Government of Dubai. The UAE regulator is the Government of the UAE, an altogether different thing believe it or not.
The confusion comes from the EK Chairman also being the Chairman of Dubai Civil Aviation department. This runs the airport, it is NOT the Civil Aviation regulator.
Sure EK has influence with the regulator, but don't try and tell me Qantas doesn't have the same with CASA. EK has its skeletons, but this ain't one of them.