Urgent security review ordered for airports across country after Avalon breach

Airports across Australia have been ordered to do an urgent risk assessment after an armed teenager tried to make his way onto a plane.

Regional airports across the country, including NSW, have been ordered to undertake rapid security assessments after a teenager allegedly tried to board a Jetstar flight near Melbourne while armed with a shotgun.

Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke confirmed he had instructed his department to write to the management of Avalon Airport, where the incident occurred, and other similar-sized airports, including in Newcastle, demanding they urgently conduct risk assessments in a bid to beef-up security.

“On Friday, I directed my department to write to Avalon and all similar airports to inform them that they will be required to conduct a risk assessment to determine what security upgrades are necessary to prevent incidents like this one,” Mr Burke said on Sunday.

Mr Burke said the department was also working on measures to force airports to “improve detection and monitoring of any intrusion into their grounds”.

“Passenger safety is always our priority and we are using all tools at our disposal to ensure an incident like this does not happen again,” he said.

A teen, allegedly armed with a gun, was apprehended on a passenger jet at Avalon Airport. Picture: Channel 7

The directive includes airports in all capital cities, while management at Newcastle, Hobart, Alice Springs, Launceston, Sunshine Coast, Townsville, Mackay and Rockhampton airports also received the edict.

The incident follows passengers and staff on Thursday restraining a teenager, who was allegedly armed with a shotgun, after he breached the airport perimeter and attempted to board a flight bound for Sydney.

Dramatic footage from the scene shows the alleged intruder being restrained at the door of the plane.

It’s alleged the teen was armed with the firearm and ammunition, and that he said: “I’ve got bombs in my bag.”

Farmer and shearer Barry Clark — who was a passenger on the flight and put the teenager in a headlock — said following the incident he was “just the closest person who could help in the situation”.

The security at airports across Australia has been called into question after the incident. Picture: NewsWire / Aaron Francis

A 17-year old teenager was hit with a series of charges following the incident, including endangering the safe operation of an aircraft, unlawfully taking control of an aircraft, bomb hoax, and possession of a firearm.

He was remanded in custody to reappear at children’s court later this month.

Following the incident, it was revealed no federal or state police are stationed at Avalon Airport, and that the first police to arrive came from a police station at Lara, almost 10km away from the facility.

Multiple agencies, including the Australian Federal Police’s counter-terrorism unit and Victoria Police, announced they were investigating the circumstances of how the teen allegedly made his way on to the flight in the wake of the event.

Australian Airports Association chief executive Simon Westaway said before Mr Burke’s announcement that “this is the type of circumstance that simply cannot be allowed to happen again”.

Originally published as Urgent security review ordered for airports across country after Avalon breach