so if the aircraft was repaired they wouldn't have been able to fly it.
this is the sort of statement that makes me think the reporting is a bit fishy. If the crew are on standby to fly HNL AKL there will be a timeframe where they are able to do the duty, subsequent to that there will be a rest period where the crew can't be called, it's not like they can just get a call any old time and be expected to jump out of bed and operate.