TCOB, the route was closed due to shrinking load factors- not due to the aircraft being required for domestic factors. The 2 class 412 seat B744's that were used previously had extremely high load factors and, as Air NZ showed when they put on their additional service, the demand was still there - just not on the A330 product that QF was offering.
Actually the load factors using both aircraft types were more than satisfactory with senior Auckland base manager being told by Lesley Grant that although the route was profitable the aircraft [332] were to be redeployed elsewhere where they could make "more" money.
Fact is they were needed for Joyce's pissing contest with Borghetti on East/West coast returns where QF lost tens of millions seeing who could piss higher.