A very valid point made by Neville Nobody.
I reckon that it is an easy out for Qantas of having to run regional operations. Once it was Australian Airlines and Ansett that had to operate these routes, now Qantas will have have a look what is really profitable and can be operated with a Dash8-400 or Jetstar A320 and in turn gives them good oncarriage to Qantas mainline will stay the rest will go and they will use the excuse of pilot shortage.
Another nail in the coffin for regional Australia.