Seems logical on the surface yeah? 90k vs 80K starting pay.
Cathay are recruiting us as FO's on an International full service carrier. Not as an FO on a budget airline inside Australia. Qantas are employing you as a an SO that still needs to do upgrades etc.
They're doing this to lessen the training burden by buying experience.
That's my argument, they're no longer BUYING the experience! They're expecting to get it for a bargain. It's the same (and quickly less) than an SO on QF.