S/O's are intentionally paid high salaries
QF SOs are paid high salaries mainly because AIPA possessed sufficient industrial strength over many years that enabled those high salaries to be successfully negotiated.
While the QF 787 conditions amount to a kind of B Scale, I'm very sure you could reduce the terms even further and still find the number of positions available massively oversubscribed with more-than-adequate candidates. (Shhhh...don't tell management!).
Such is the allure (and pay, benefits etc) of working for the national carrier and the lack of supply of similarly highly attractive positions in the Australian pilot job market.
But back to the subject of Bonding. I hope the Tiger guys can get something fair and reasonable sorted.
PG