In addition, Airpoints Gold Elite and Gold members travelling on an Air New Zealand flight number operated by Etihad in Economy class are entitled access to Etihad's lounges.
All you need to do is present your valid Airpoints Gold Elite or Gold card.
Air New Zealand Gold Elite and Gold card holders departing on Etihad Airways services are not entitled to use Star Alliance partner or Star Alliance operated lounges regardless if flight number used is the Etihad flight number or Air New Zealand code share flight number.
I guess what it says is you have access only to Etihad operated lounges so you should at least have access to their lounge in AUH. Given the extent of the EY alliance, I think they should at least grant access to NZ operated lounges. It might pay to print this page out off NZ's website.
In addition to lounge access Airpoints Gold Elite and Gold members travelling on Air New Zealand flight number operated by Etihad in Economy & Premium Economy will also receive other benefits on the presentation of their valid Gold Elite & Gold card.
The benefits are:
•Priority Check In
•Priority Baggage
Again, you should definitely get priority check in.
I don't think NZ management has the ability to understand all the rules and has the desire to work with their partners to ensure their elite members' interests are protected. Thank God that Star Alliance has one set of rules which applies to all 20+ members equally but even then NZ has "invented" some inharmonious rules, eg, no check in bags for *G on some fares, no additional check in bag for *G, no *G ounge access for some fares. When you have a look at the whole current Airpoints structure you wouldn't be surprised really.