14 controllers off, bollocks
"In one incident last month, the entire northern approach to Australia from Queensland to Darwin was uncontrolled after three air traffic controllers in Brisbane called in sick. Fourteen of their colleagues were called in an effort to find replacements, but all were unavailable or uncontactable."
An informal look at the staffing sheet for that day .... 6 of those 14 people where actually in the middle of their annual leave (a roster anomaly that shows people as being rostered off rather than on leave), others were off the night shift (i.e. had finished work at 6am that morning, one of whom allegedly wasn't called), others were not "rated" or "licensed" to do all of those sectors, so out of 14 you probably really only have 4 possible calls.
More spin from the spindoctors.