I've written this in another thread, but the short version is that minimum requirements are just that. The training and checking manual for those particular airlines probably stipulates those exact requirements. It's not just HR that filter applications. The links that all of these airlines use, automatically do it if you don't meet the minimum. This dates back at the very least to Virgin Blue/Qlink/QF back in the day.
Does it really matter how low they put their requirements? It's their train set and if they want to put a bare CPL on there and have a million applications, then it's their prerogative. They've been doing it for years too - do you think everyone that got into QF or
VB back in the early 2000's had 500 multi? You could barely get a job flying a twin out of somewhere nice (like Cairns) without having 3000hrs. Ergo, most (yes, generalising) of the guys/girls had heaps of time NOT JUST MINIMUM EXPERIENCE.
Comparing Australian aviation to the US counterpart is pointless. Case in point the above just to get a twin job.
It's hard, yes. It's not impossible. Keep at it!