Hey, if I was overseas and desperately wanted to come back to Oz, if some outfit backed by the almighty Qantas or Virgin offered me a direct entry command on an Airbus, with the threat of being busted back to F/O after 3 years, I reckon I'd still grab it. Because 3 years is a long time in aviation and I figure that even the most stupid (read altruistic) management would change its mind, and the rules, when they worked out how much it would cost to retrain Captains to RHS and F/O's to LHS just to satisfy some
p!ssweak union agreement made 3 years earlier. Captains never get busted back unless they either fail a check or their airline gets into recession mode.
As for the money, if I had already made enough in the Sandpit or Honkers, of course I would prostitute myself for half the Qantas rate just to be back in Oz. Why? Because like the rest of you I am a pilot and thus capable of really caring, kind, compassionate and noble feelings - towards myself.