@johan rebel:

European carriers were indeed heavily government controlled and built up. Without that, they were much smaller or did not even exist anymore. That fate got SN, UT (now part of AF), OA.
But currently all airlines are still strongly subsidized, but that is another discussion. Air tickets do not have sales tax and fuel is not taxed by excise as well, like car gasoline.

@cityflyer369: You are talking about AMS-PER or DRW, but those are the least interesting Oz destinations. Probably you mean SYD and MEL.

Indeed, very long flights of > 14 hours cost even more fuel as the aircraft has to carry lots of fuel, so a stop would be more feasible, even to passenger's comfort. An extra stop costs 2 hours more, but saves on crew (a very long flight requires also two sets of crew, i.e. 2x2 pilots, 2x10 FA/ pursers), more toilet and food waste storage.
I think such flights are more done for prestige reasons, like SQ21 SIN-EWR which was discontinued in 2013, but SQ considers restarting it with an A350, F/C only.
I think the QR nonstop DOH-AKL of 18 hours won't get profitable, but more a kind of "We have the longest nonstop flight".
For the same reason a nonstop LHR-SYD will never be there, despite there are aircraft (777LR, 787-9, 350-10) capable doing this.