I have spoken to a couple of the cadets. Nice guys. Very respectful of the experienced expats they fly with. Brains like sponges. They tell me that the acceptance rate into the program is about 1 percent. So therefore it must be very competitive and I would imagine that only the best get a go, based on what I've seen anyway.
Still, as I look back on my years in WA and the NT, I have to say that they couldn't possibly appreciate how lucky they are.