given there are A380 qualified engineers available in Aus
Besides the EK guys, who are these 'available' A380/GP7000 LAME's your are talking about? There are none in Australia, so maybe a few of the EK boys can get a position with the new maint provider.
I hear a lot of stuff from good, reliable sources about the other company and some it's staff, and none of it is good. I know of one airline that has gone to them this year, and learnt the hard way that they are not as good or cheap as they look on paper and are already looking to get a real airline involved again on the maintenance side.
The 'other' maint provider I think you are talking about were the first ever A380 maintenance outstation, and the boys there been have working/certing the A380 since 2007, and have a impressive dispatch record, better than QF apparently.
bringing in A380 qualified engineers from SIN for a couple of months now
Your dead right about this, how can the 'other' maint provider bring in all these temp guys from SIN, and not have to train or employ locals? Maybe because of the short stays the secondees have? Word is the likes of JHAS have big problems with the unions not allowing them to employ foreign 457 visa holders.
Its a real shame for the EK guys, I hope they find good positions elsewhere, their skills and experience would be hard to replace in Aus.