I have no issue with people having lounge access whether they've obtained it via flying or paying for it.

The real issue is simply that the lounges simply aren't big enough to cope with the number of people who have status. I've been through AKL domestic twice lately where getting a seat was virtually impossible, and from photos and complaints I've seen from people traveling at peak time in the evenings it does seem that things are really bad.

I don't see Air NZ changing much while they're in the mindset that everybody loves them and every HVC is happy. They make far too much money selling lounge vouchers to the banks to care about the impact of doing this.