Offering to work for free might be seen similarly to contractors crossing union picket lines. Hence the malice shown against those who undercut workers hard won pay and conditions by working for less than the Award (or for free), or who cross union picket lines, should come as no surprise. Being fresh to the aviation industry, as you say, and having only operated within the protected confines of a flying school environment, you obviously weren't aware that raising this issue in a public forum was going to stir up a hornet's nest of angst (contrary to what you say, it's not hysteria). Many here would cut a young guy some slack for not knowing any different. But now that you know that offering to work as a pilot for free is a bad idea, take that advice onboard and execute your plan B. Bad ideas in aviation have consequences you just don't see in other occupations. You simply can't compare it to graphic designers or plumbers or many other occupations where people might work for free to get some valuable experience. Remember also, if an operator does take you on working for free, what corners they might also be cutting on aircraft maintenance? On training? On SMS? On insurances? etc. I dare say you probably don't have the nouse or the fortitude to deal with operators at that end of the industry, and if you were to do so you'd be setting yourself up for more grief. And you should also be aware that insurance underwriters of charter aircraft often have minimum experience requirements for pilots that are higher - actually much higher - than the experience you will have as a freshly minted CPL. Bending a relatively inexpensive training aircraft as a solo student pilot is one thing, there is a limited insurance risk for that. But when fare paying passengers are being carried on charter operations the insurance risk is way way much more. Hence working for free doesn't overcome that hurdle for you. Tune your radar further afield if you want to earn a living. I can tell you I was quoted $2000 to bed and point 40 ridge caps on my roof. That is good money for one days work. I've been working as a pilot for almost 30 years and never saw any more than about half that for a days work.
p.s. "you're a scab" is in the lexicon of Industrial dispute. It's not being childish in this context.