most people I talk to are only interested in airline travel and would probably prefer that GA didn’t exist at all
When you say "most people", do you mean the great unwashed? If so, most would have no preference for GA. It would be completely off their radar to the point of absolute irrelevance.
I find it incredibly difficult to believe that the Minister would simply repeat the discredited “safety is the most important consideration” wording. Presumably he has done this to support the bureaucrats within his office, within the Department and within CASA. Presumably it is all about not being accountable.
Why does it surprise you that a minister will not stand up and say that cost is more important than safety? Who is going to get the media spotlight after an accident, no matter what the cause, if he/she has just publicly advocated for what the great unwashed will only perceive as a reduction in safety in favour of the mighty dollar? It is all about being accountable......accountable to his/her political future.