So what you're saying is clearly that Geoff Dixon and Dennis Adams are outright Liars? Not ever to be trusted?
Rather sad if that is the case even if it is naieve.
But yes bigenchilada I think you are right it was inevitable as my earlier posts indicated.
There is however one major defect with Australian Airlines...it is CrAp. Complete CrAp. What they are doing is charging 'Qantas' type airfares but providing DJ type service and that is not a product anybody wants. It simply will not succeed on its own merits long-term. It has at the moment a little inertia because of its QF backing but the product cannot succeed survive long term.
Either you charge less and provide low service (DJ) or you charge a fortune (as they do) and give full service. There is absolutely nothing 'full-service' about ther Australian Airlines product.
However once the service/cost issue is rectified I think you are right. Australian Airlines is here for the long term. I think QF will be confined to LAX, LHR, HKG and some Japanese sectors, Australian will operate all the NZ, Bali type tourist-based flights and QantasLink will do the domestic stuff for all of the reasons you mentioned.
The tragedy is that by world standards Australian aircrew are paid very poorly and penalised further by a punitive tax system.