We all read the contract (well... at least I did) before we signed. Some seemed to have joined to get back to Oz, some to get out of a C310 and for others it was clearly a mid-life crisis (although I've only met one pilot who admitted it as such).
Before operations began VA offered (read tried to shove down our throats) the crew a enterprise agreement. Amongst many changes to our conditions was one regarding max monthly and annual flight times which effectively changed them from 100 and 1000 respectively to the max that VA could screw out of CASA. This was voted down very convincingly.
So now when new shorter layovers are suddenly OK, you can only expect that next will be a push for increased monthly and or annual flight hours. Whilst the RFOs and cabin crew are in the sights now, CPTs and FO will be next.
As I stated previously more time at home is good. More hours in the air is a pay cut.
Now the rant is really over.