……..so the upgrade category for all current staff is J18,
Staff yes, executive staff no.
So for a Domestic flight, the Captain with 40 years service, provided all listed staff are onloaded, will always get a business seat in front of the exec who has only been in the company for a year!
Unfortunately no. As a commuter with 30+ years of service I can assure you I regularly get bumped by 'executive' staff with service that can almost be counted in months. They often have duty travel categories regardless of their reason for travel.
Staff travel is a handy option, but like many things Qantas these days, the only recognised measure of your contribution to the company is KPI's and if you don't 'earn' them your contribution is largely invisible.
Thankfully most staff remain incredibly loyal to the brand and don't need KPI's to encourage their performance.