At the risk of thread drift, it wasn't just 2 waves. There was another huge intake with "validations" in '97, '98 and '99 from majors in the EU, not to mention the constant stream off to Cathay & Dragon.
This OZ cultural assertiveness that foreign airlines appreciate generally as a positive, also has a dark side.
Yes, agreed. It could possibly just come down to how they were bought up and if they copped a smack over the ear-hole as a child, or were spoilt brats. Maturity. Those I mixed with weren't as you say. Many are now though.
"There are only those that have had an incident and those who are about to!"
...it's a very costly mistake to learn it on a jet.