The current security climate and the need to keep Australians safe justifies giving police new powers to check identifications at the airport, Malcolm Turnbull says.
The prime minister and Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton revealed plans for the new legislation on Tuesday, after previously announcing a $294 million package to boost security at Australia’s domestic airports, ABC News reported.
The package will pay for full body scanners and advanced X-ray equipment to be rolled out at major and rural airports.
Proposed laws will also allow Australian Federal Police officers to conduct identity checks at airports and order people to leave the premises.
‘Dangerous times’ are the reason police and authorities will be allowed to stop you for identifications checks in airports with no cause Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said
Recent terrorist attacks in Indonesia have heightened security concerns at Australian airports
‘The justification for changing the law so that police at an airport can ask you to identify yourself, the justification is the safety of the Australian people,’ Mr Turnbull said at Melbourne airport.
Currently, police can’t demand someone show them identification without first suspecting the person has committed, or will commit, a serious crime.
‘There’s certain conditions that need to be met at the moment before police can ask for that identification, which is an absurdity, and it is an issue the police have raised with us,’ Mr Dutton said.
Mr Turnbull seized on recent ‘brutal’ terrorist attacks in Indonesia’s second largest city, Surabaya, to highlight the threat posed by terrorists in the region
Mr Turnbull seized on recent ‘brutal’ terrorist attacks in Indonesia’s second largest city, Surabaya, to highlight the threat posed by terrorists in the region.
‘It reminds us of the need to be ever vigilant,’ he said.
‘There is no place for ‘set and forget’ in defending Australians.’
Mr Dutton said he was worried about gels, liquids and explosive devices being taken onto aircraft.
‘This is the most comprehensive investment in aviation security in decades,’ he said.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton (pictured) revealed plans for the new legislation today after already announcing a $294 million package to boost security at Australia’s domestic airports
Labor’s foreign affairs spokeswoman Penny Wong said the opposition was waiting to see the detail on any security changes before it decides whether to offer bipartisan support.
The Greens political party have slammed the new legislation.
‘Demanding people produce documents on the spot is a hallmark of police states, this is the slow march of authoritarianism,’ Greens senator Nick McKim said in a statement.
In an interview on 3AW Radio with Neil Mitchell, Mr Turnbull said the introduction of additional body scanners will mean up to 94 per cent of passengers in an airport will undergo the screening.
Mr Turnbull said the scans are not an invasion of privacy and ‘would not be kept’.
‘You’ve got to keep people safe,’ Mr Turnbull said when questioned about the new measures