Hey DP, from what I have heard from other expats returning, and their dealings with managers, for the most part (there is an exception), it hasn't been the managers that were the problem in all this. They have been very keen to employ the experienced guys from overseas, and pay them accordingly, because they then know they will have in a few months time a validated, extremely valuable person on the roster, rather than hoping an ab-initio checks out and then wait at least 3 years or so, for that journeyman to be really worthwile on the roster.
What seems to be the real stumbling block in all this is the attitudes of the controllers who have stayed in Oz. There is a huge amount of sour grapes or jealousy, or anger (I don't know which emotion it is), amongst alot of the controllers towards the returning ex-expats, and so if the managers offer for example a 10 year controller, what a 10 year controller is getting paid in Oz there would be mutiny amongst some of the troops. Yes we could be seen as having been disloyal by jumping ship, but on the flip side we could be looked upon favourably (as we would be in a lot of other industries) as having taken it upon ourselves to stretch ourselves professionally and gain skills we would not have if we'd stayed in Australia.
Anyway this whole discussion is pretty irellevant because there is one big thing I have learned while working here in the Middle East, and that is the Market decides what you are worth. If as a lot of people are saying, Air Services are heading for a staffing crisis (as most other countries are going through right now) in the ATC field, then experienced, ready to go controllers will become more and more valuable to them, and we will be able to play a bit harder to get. If on the other hand they find themselves flush with staff, then we will have to get on our hands and knees and grovel to get our job back at whatever rate is on offer. I personally think, from their track record in the past (ie. Voluntary redundancy....staff shortage....VR...staff shortage.....VR....staff shortage etc.) there will come a point when the crunch will come and we will become very very valuable to them. We will see.