Initially there will be a few. As the realities of expatriate life set in, based around a low Jetstar wage, there will be more. Pilots will sponge of the Australian taxpayer by basing their families at home in Australia.
I think this whole Jetstar Singapore basing could open up the pandoras box of large numbers of Australian pilots, who commute with foreign airlines and evade Australian tax by claiming non-residency.
Personally I think it stinks. Pilots get to use Australian taxpayers to subsidize a poor contract that is at the detriment to the profession- helping the race to the bottom.
Screw them. Highlight this to the ATO through your union.
BTW. Watch pilots who think they are smarter than the system, trying all sorts of hair brained tax evading concepts. Claiming separation from the wife ( risking a fraudulent jail term ) etc...
It gets ugliest when the ATO garnishes the pilot's wage.