I am baffled as to how the writer comes to conclusions such as in the article. I have read the report, twice now, and find no indication about any knowledge of anything related to the flight other than what is already known.
I applaud the Australians for their effort. It is a true testament to courage and dedication to search like they do! As a side effect we also get to know stuff about our oceans... you never know when that may come in handy - the search for oil may benefit from lessons learned here!