The crew were feeling tired but ok to fly. Had they been given an option to off load themselves in Sydney without any risk of management backlash would they have? The companies response was to institute another layer of procedures by requiring a new TOLD card. Nothing about flight deck interruptions or the casual way 22 passengers are dumped on their lap.
Well dissected. Pity you aren't working at the ATSB or Qantas management.
This "tired does not equal fatigue" thing is bull****, and I'm sick of hearing it pedalled. Who knows where it started, but CASA and Company management (and even the AFAP) have jumped on board. It's a convenient get out of jail free card, where the reality is there's no set distinction between the two. The symptoms are the same, and the dangers posed are the same - and operating "tired" should not be pedalled as an acceptable safety outcome just because it's not as severe as "fatigue".
As for the TOLD card response - more of the same crap. Australian airline management are such reactive, predictable sheep - when presented with an error which was related to late changes and PILOT WORKLOAD, the solution offered involves MORE WORK. Tired, overworked pilots - with more work and procedures piled on to solve.
The stupidity is mind boggling.
What should have happened:
Ops call the tech crew - "if we delay the flight and give you plenty of time, can you accept 22 more pax and start your pre-departure tasks from scratch. Do you need to stretch you legs or can we get you some food?" Then the desire to rush is released, Pilots relieve some tiredness and get some food/coffee into them - and flight departs safely.
Will it ever happen - not on your life. The financial penalties placed by the mothership on Cobham for off time departures will always place schedule before safety.