Australian Government Demand Review of Airport Security

Australia’s government has ordered a review of airport security following heightened terror alerts across the country to include an ‘active shooter’ response plan.

Physical airport security procedures will be reviewed and tightened, with measures in place to raise awareness amongst passengers. It was made clear by the Department of Transport that they were not requesting heightened implementation of additional security measures, but “review their current security measures to ensure they remain relevant for both generic and specific threat and alert level”.

Amongst the requests made of industry participants are that they ‘take steps to reinvigorate security awareness’; ‘increase vigilance around unattended or abandoned items’; increase security signage and increase face-to-face identification checks of personnel.

There has been an increase in Federal Police patrols as a reaction to the increased terror alert level – the first in Australian history – as they believe the threats to be real and an attack ‘imminent’.

Sydney airport is one of the first to review its physical security procedures and has launched a passenger campaign that is centred around the term ‘if you see something, say something’. Increased security is present in the airport and additional signage has been placed.