I must say I am very curious on this too DSJ, I guess they wouldn't announce it publicly if it was true? I know at my airline there have been a large number of Aussies suffering training failures and washouts - not saying any more than US guys and gals - but if there are extra expenses involved and a higher number of the Aussie guys are washing out at OO as well then I can see why they would drop it. Again, no way am I saying it is happening there. I can only speak for where I work and worked.
This is also assuming those persistent rumours are not true, which again I hope they are not...but even had an Aussie OO commuter in the
JS the other day who said he had heard the same stories internally there but nothing from any official sources.
Regardless, hope they reopen it in the future.