Not really.You choose the QF flight because it was the cheapest option for you, remember? Spending more upfront with another carrier while hoping for better FF points earning for future award ticket doesn't make much sense for a once-a-year flyer at all.
Unless you go all-in with manufactured spending and churning multiple credit cards for sign-on bonus miles, you won't be able to generate enough miles in any program to fly to Australia and back purely on points every year, so some of these miles have to come from flying.
And to not let your existing QFF miles go to waste should you decide to change programs - redeem them for AA flights. Your points should be good to get you anywhere and back within 2,400 miles. Enjoy a nice trip to say, anywhere in the Caribbean, Central America, or even Vegas...
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The AS program looks like it could be a good choice for you, though. They have a large earning partner network and a generous award chart. Plus, as an independent, financially healthy smaller carrier, they might be less inclined to devalue their FFP like it's currently en vogue with the legacy airlines. Current trend with FFPs is to reward spend rather than mileage. UA and DL have implemented changes to their programs in this regard, and it remains to be seen if and how the merged AA will follow suit. Personally, I doubt the current terms will survive much beyond 2015.