It IS a cut-throat occupation. Unfortunately for us, most of us enter it because of our love of flying - but love doesn't pay the bills.
Until pilots can (once again) unite through a common negotiator, such as the AFAP (Australian Federation of Air Pilots), they will ALLOW themselves to be prostituted by flying substandard equipment for substandard salaries, in the hope that the NEXT job will be better, and that the one following that will be the "pot of gold at the end of the rainbow"!
Operators now realise this "trait" in pilots, and are able to capitalise on it for THEIR (the operator's) benefit....a stick and carrot approach.
The "cull rate" is high - and in Oz it is currently higher than it has been since 1989.
Consequently, a LOT will fall by the wayside ie. decide that aviation has nothing to offer in their forseeable future, some will head off overseas, to return at a later date, and a relative few will continue.
This is Australian aviation going through one of its cyclical (culling) phases.
It's hard, it's tough, it's sometmes unsustainable for a new pilot trying to support a family.
Unfortunately, these are the TRUTHS of a big country with a relatively small population, nevertheless a country that
relies upon aviation to keep it "connected".
I'd like to wish you well,
ohboy...and I shall......for MOST of us have been in YOUR current predicament.
Some survived, and stayed in aviation - others EXCELLED and LEFT it!!
Either way, there's a "Life" waiting for you, once you make the choice!