Dick,
Having mulled over this many times in the past and contributed to the JCPA Report 406, I can only imagine that security at some of the outlying airports is aimed at preventing potential terrorists from joining an RPT flight at Bourke complete with bomb and detonating that bomb on the tarmac after the flight arrives at KSA. It is an easy way for a terrorist to get airside at KSA without needing an ASIC.
But this doesn't explain why pilots need ASICs. We don't need RPT to fly into KSA (just a deep wallet to pay the landing fees) and therefore don't need to depart from a security-controled airport.
I have taken this up with my local MP, Jason Wood (now in opposition), and despite pleas not to reply with only a synopsis of Liberal Party policy, that's exactly what I got! It would appear that the important thing for the Libs was to give the impression that they were improving security rather than actually improving security.
$48 million to prevent terrorism is well spent, if it actually prevents terrorism.
Walrus