SBF and Approachchecks
Congratulations to both of you on your jobs. I'm pleased things have worked out well in the end.
SBF
Quite true I wouldn't want to be "
around" as you say either. One thing in life I have observed is very often you never get told the real reason when you get rejected for/about something. You get given a convenient answer. However I do know that several foreigners are/have been employed in various airlines in New Zealand so your assertation that you need to be a New Zealander to get a job in New Zealand is quite untrue. This is what made me wonder why you didn't get a look in.
I don't think many New Zealand pilots heading off overseas would expect to get a DEC, which I think was the thrust of one of BFF's posts, a point you seemed to miss.
Approachchecks
No, I'm not an Air NZ pilot and I'm not that insecure I need to justify my position to anybody.