"Flaws in Australian airport security"

Friday, September 24, 2004

Flaws in airport security
By Alexandra Smith, Mark Todd and John Garnaut
Australia - The Sydney Morning Herald

 
Many contract airport workers do not have air security identification cards
18 months after the Federal Government ordered ASIO to re-screen all holders
for terrorist traits.

As investigations continued into the discovery of a potentially explosive
device in the cargo hold of a Virgin Blue jet, it was confirmed 65,000
background checks had been completed, but not for most contractors.

The ASIO security card checks were introduced last year among several
anti-terrorism measures.

Thermite, a chemical used in modern weaponry, was found on Monday wrapped in
a cardboard toilet roll with a sparkler attached in the baggage hold of a
Virgin flight from Maroochydore to Sydney. A Virgin baggage handler found
the device in a plastic bag but did not follow procedures and carried it
into the passenger screening area of Sydney Airport's Terminal 2. Virgin
Blue said the Australian Protective Service was notified 15 minutes after
the device was found.

An Australian Federal Police spokeswoman confirmed the incident was under
investigation but could not comment further.

The Transport Workers Union senior airline official, Glenn Nightingale, said
the incident highlighted "inadequacies of current security arrangements,
staff training and incident-handling procedures at Sydney Airport".

The union had been concerned about identification cards since the September
11 attacks, particularly for contract airport staff who could work with a
visitor's pass rather than an air security card.

The Transport Minister, John Anderson, said Monday's incident was not a
terrorist act. "The judgement was formed that this was a hoax."

Asked on 2UE whether the Transport Workers Union might be behind the
security breach, Mr Anderson said: "Well, it can't be ruled out." 

At Maroochydoore Airport yesterday, passengers were unconcerned by the
security breach. "It certainly didn't stop me from getting on the plane,"
said Brenda Moran. "I lived in New York on September 11 so those things
don't stop me."

The airport had a security upgrade in 2002 for the Commonwealth Heads of
Government Meeting and there had been no breaches or compliance failures,
according to the Maroochy Shire Council, which owns and operates the
airport.


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