Good Luck to all Pilots out there who may get a proper pay increase. I hope it happens.
Of course there is always good and bad sides to pay increases;
Operators can not absorb these costs. The margins are just not there (as proven by the recent demise of SFTC and Aerospace).
A large increase in Pilot pay will result in a large increase in the cost of learning to fly and air charter etc.
My guess is Australia will soon completely price itself out of the local and international training market as countries such as the USA, New Zealand and South Africa have Pilots who work for a lot less (in some cases NZ$10 per hour!).
My comments are not against a wage increase - just a forecast of what may happen to costs here.
Australians may soon go to New Zealand for a PPL or CPL in the same way Europeans go to the USA and South Africa.
Current Example NZ vs. Australia:
Auckland Aero Club
AA1-C trainer: NZ$152 per hour (A$121)
Instructor: NZ$50 per hour (A$40)
Royal Queensland Aero Club
C152: A$208 per hour
Instructor: A$99 per hour