I find it hard to single out any shorthaul airline as being better than the other in this day and age.
I have flown Qantas, Jetstar, Virgin and Tiger, plus plenty of UK/European airlines and they are all the same to me on short haul, the check in staff can often have a bigger impression on the customer and as often as not they aren't even employed by the airline. The flight crew on most airlines seem to be doing the job to the best of their ability, the price dictates that the service will be basic, if you want the best treatment then pay the silly money and sit at the front even though it won't be the best value for the flight. Short haul in Australia is just the same as short haul in the UK and Europe and the USA, in my experience, dictated by price and the lowest standard that the airline thinks that the customer will accept. They seem to have it right because flights are almost always full.