Actually I think that the RPT pax at Ballina would be more than happy to think that the ARFF that they are paying for is there to cover their a#@e, and not being spent on services that they don't use, or even know about.
Sure AsA is a monopoly, so you would want to think it makes money, or at least breaks even, because if it was losing money, who do you think would be paying more? Certainly not the taxpayer.
And yes, private citizens are often at the back of the queue, and not just in aviation. It is seen as just an expensive hobby. Airlines are seen as a little more important. That's what the P for public in RPT is for. That's why you and I can't drive in a bus lane either. The needs of the many are lesser to the few in just about all aspects of life these days.