Jon Sullivan (Longman, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

It is a pleasure for me to rise in support of this legislation. The provisions of the bill itself have been fairly thoroughly outlined by my colleague the member for Flynn in the contribution that he just made. It was interesting for me to listen to some of the issues that relate to his electorate of Flynn and to see just how vital the maritime industry is for him and how well he understands it. The Transport Security Amendment (2008 Measures No. 1) Bill 2008 does a couple of things. My background is in the aviation industry. Most importantly to that industry, the bill sets out to assist the industry by making the security measures and security plans flexible enough to react to the various security threats that might arise from time to time. It is in relation to the aviation industry that I want to make my contribution this evening—and I promise the House that it will be blessedly short. So, if there are others who wish to speak on the bill, it might be time for them to make their way to the House.

In particular, the issue that I wanted to canvass today relates to security screening of passengers at domestic transport terminals. In early May this year, I was contacted by the wife of a Vietnam veteran who lives in my electorate. That veteran was travelling to Canberra for the commemoration services later that month in relation to Coral and Balmoral. Her concern at the time was that her partner was quite perturbed that he would have to give up his medals to checked luggage because of the way in which the Aviation Transport Security Regulations 2005 would deal with those medals. He was unwilling to entrust those medals to the checked luggage system, judging that the very small prospect that his luggage may go astray during the journey was too great a risk for the medals that he cherished quite dearly. The problem is that the pins on medals are, in the language of the regulation, ‘sharp things that are not weapons, but are capable, with or without modification, of causing harm by penetration’. For that reason they could be prohibited items under 1.07 of the Aviation Transport Security Regulations.

Because of the proximity of the inquiry with my office to the actual date of travel to be in Canberra, my constituent contacted the airline on my advice and arrangements were made to allow her partner to carry his medals in the cabin on that occasion. In fact, Australian domestic airlines have traditionally exercised that same sensitivity in relation to Australian veterans and ex-servicemen travelling to events on Anzac Day. However, because of the increasing number of commemorative events being conducted these days, I wrote to the Minister for Veterans’ Affairs seeking his assistance to have a protocol established through which war medals, service medals or campaign medals can be carried by veterans and ex-servicemen in the passenger cabin of aircraft operating in Australia. The minister quite properly referred that request to the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government. With support for my request, the minister for transport responded to me. Among the other points he raised in his letter, he indicated that ultimate responsibility in this matter rests with the screening authorities at individual airports.

As a consequence of receipt of that letter, I wrote to the CEOs of airlines operating domestic services in Australia, asking them to extend their Anzac Day courtesies to all veterans’ commemorative events. I have received a reply from only one—and I am happy to name them: Qantas—who advised me that Qantas had in fact issued such a direction to their security contractors in March of this year, certainly prior to the Coral event and prior to my interest being aroused in this matter. In that letter they suggested that, for a nationally consistent approach, an amendment to the actual regulations could be considered. I have subsequently written to the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government suggesting an addition to 1.07(6) of the regulation which exempts certain specific items from the more general list in item 2 of table 1.07. I also note that Qantas have forwarded our correspondence—that is, my letter to them and, I gather, their letter back to me—to the Office of Transport Security, who are currently reviewing the prohibited items list in the regulation, for their information. Minister Albanese, in his letter mentioned earlier, also referred to the comprehensive review of aviation security that is underway.

My purpose in making this brief contribution today is to call on the Office of Transport Security and the minister to make the changes necessary to allow our veterans and ex-servicemen to travel by air within Australia at all times of the year with their valuable and treasured medals in their possession, either on their person or within their cabin baggage.

I think the bill makes sensible arrangements in relation to security at both marine ports and airports. In my professional life prior to entering politics, I had a lot of experience in the aviation industry. In recent months, I had a great deal of involvement as a member of the parliamentary committee that looked into coastal shipping, which released its report just a few weeks ago. That said, I commend the bill to the House and trust that the minister and the Office of Transport Security will take on board the request that I make.

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