Very sorry to hear about this unfortunate event. Of the hundreds of dealings I have had with AAE, I have only had one or two problems, and the worst was them telling me I could put a snake on a flight, and then telling me I couldn't when I got in. Everything else has gone very smoothly.
It's ridiculous to say that it's the seller's fault for not packaging them correctly - nothing less than a box made of 1" steel plating is going to withstand a truck driving over it! I must admit I have never read the fine print in full, and can't remember if we sign a disclaimer along the lines of "AAE is not liable in the case of mishap, you're sending this at your own risk, baby". If there is something like that we wouldn't have a leg to stand on. We've already had one carrier (Virgin) duck out of the business because of issues, and it would be very nasty for all of us (other than the guy doing road freight :lol: ) if Qantas/AAE opted out too.
I'll echo the other suggestions that for everyone's sake you stay calm, polite and courteous. If you get angry and make silly threats you're going to make them less likely to help you, and possibly even stop their service entirely. Your best bet in all respects is to be calm, considered, rational, courteous and professional. If you're feeling emotional, take the time to calm down before talking to them or taking any action. Difficult, I know, but important.
In an event such as this, who do people consider to be the loser in the case of no compensation? Does the seller refund the money or does the buyer cop the loss? I am fortunate enough to never have had the issue come up, but it would be nice for people to be clear about what happens in case of the unfortunate event occurring. It's certainly a tricky one, as I can't see either side deserving to be out of pocket any more than the other.