Embargo's on various Flight Crew from other airlines is always hard to prove, but quite often does look obvious.
Toluene, are you saying that there was a number of CX and KA guys trying to get into J* and were held back by an agreement ? They'd be taking a huge pay drop to return to Oz. I wouldn't have thought the two managements were that closely linked or talking.
Even tho the J* guys do the QF P&S it doesn't mean that they are after the
same result, (notice I didn't say higher or lower, I think the Psych requirements would be largely different).
Do the J* applicants do the subsequent stages at QF as well, or just some parts. ie do they do a sim with J*, an interview with J* staff and a Medical with QF ?