Thanks Mwenenzi! Actually I'm from Sydney originally but am a Geelong fan from way back.

I suppose my priorities are the ability to earn/burn miles for trips, and lounge access. Upgrades aren't so important for me. In the US I really enjoy the other perks of status (priority security/checkin/boarding) but now I come to think of it these things don't matter nearly as much in Australia where security, checkin and boarding seem to work more efficiently. Well, maybe not checkin.

I think my new employer does indeed have corporate rates for Qantas Club membership; I found some references to such a thing existing on the internet though not any of the details. I don't think I'd pay full price for Qantas Club membership, but for typical discounted rates I'd definitely do it. Qantas Club membership doesn't give all the perks of oneworld sapphire, but it probably gives enough of 'em to make flying bearable.

After thinking about it a bit more, I think what I might do is to fly Qantas domestically with QF Club membership but stick with *A for international and acquire membership in one of the "easy star gold" programs like Asiana, which requires only 40,000 miles every two years. It seems easier this way, and it'd be nice to have some degree of status whether I'm flying *A or oneworld.