Jarse,
As it was in the beginning, and now, and into the future.
When I joined Skywest Avn in 1994 they said there was a promotions protocol into Ansett. The reality was that one had a better chance of getting into Ansett if one didn't work for one of their subsidiaries (training costs and all that). A few made it but not many.
I have little doubt that it's the same for the Qantas group.