Haughtney1 is absolutely right, and the most of the rest of you are hypochrites.
You want Oz airlines to only recruit ozmates, but when the hordes of Aussies head off to Europe and take British/Irish/French jobs (to name just a few of the countries infested with expat ozmates), that is fine! Talk about a double standard.
The news may not have reached the aviation backwaters of the South Pacific yet, but aviation is a global market these days, and that includes pilots. If you have (or can get) the appropriate licence, your abilities are in demand in many countries. I am not surprised that REX are looking overseas, they are wise to do so... best way to get pilots that are both skilled and experienced, and want to stay there.
Best thing for Euro pilots would be to send all the Aussies home... of course that would end recruitment in oz for years.
Citizenship and work permits are two-way streets, and the rules usually bend pretty easily when required by a labour shortage. Just as it should be...
Oh, and have some of you ever considered that the reason that you haven't been contacted by companies like REX, is because they have looked at your CV and references... and found you wanting?