There is waaaaaaaay to much conjecture regarding this issue at this early stage. For a start, I don't trust most media outlets to report technical issues such as this completely or accurately. Do they have access to the inspection/defect reports raised by the technicians at the airlines affected or are they in possession of a service bulletin from the manufacturer or an airworthiness directive from an airworthiness authority ? Even the spokesman for the industrial organisation covering Australian licensed aircraft maintenance engineers (which the local media calls 'engineers', confusing them with professional engineers) is stirring the pot on this issue this morning berating the local national airworthiness authority for accepting the EASA position on the approach proposed by Airbus in dealing with this issue.
I find it interesting that the SMH article appears in the 'Travel Incidents' section of the 'Travel' pages. What on earth is a travel writer going to understand about airworthiness issues?
This has been all over the news on radio this morning downunder. Here's a more 'informed' article from the ABC, reporting feedback from various parties:
Qantas A380 among planes with wing cracks - ABC Melbourne - Australian Broadcasting Corporation
There's a little more useful information in this article.