1999 Cabinet Papers: Countering Sydney 2000 Olympics chemical weapon threats
Sydney was so ill-equipped to combat a possible chemical weapons attack on the 2000 Olympics that millions of dollars had to be redirected from the Defence budget to help counter any threat. SEE WHAT 1999 CABINET PAPERS REVEAL
NSW
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Sydney was so ill-equipped to combat a possible chemical weapons attack on the 2000 Olympics that millions of dollars had to be redirected from the Defence budget to help counter any threat.
The National Security Committee told the Howard government the Commonwealth should provide “essential supplementary support” to the state government, which had done “virtually no planning” to combat a potential chemical, biological or radiological weapons attack on the Games by mid-1998.
In a submission to cabinet marked “secret” — and released by the National Archives of Australia today — the committee advised ministers the Department of Defence would invest $23 million in equipment and $52 million in personnel and operating costs to address the chemical weapons threat.
It was revealed the Australian Security and Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) had identified the risk of chemical, biological or radiological weapons attack on the Olympics as “medium” based on a “low threat” but “very high harm” if an attack occurred — but that NSW was not prepared to deal with the issue.
“This was primarily due to a lack of expertise and knowledge of both the phenomenon and the appropriate counter measures,” the submission said.
Cabinet was told there was “no information” at that time to suggest any group or individual was planning an attack on the Games, but the likelihood could “change quickly” depending on the international situation closer to the sporting event.
NEED FOR ANALYSIS
As a result, it was recommended that the ADF provide a chemical and biological analysis facility capable of analysing military chemical and biological agents, which could then be used for future events.
The security committee also suggested Australia investigate borrowing detection equipment from the US, UK or Canada.
By the 1998 federal budget, the Sydney 2000 Games was already expected to the cost the Commonwealth about $415 million, which then ballooned to more than $500 million by February 1999.
The Defence department absorbed the most significant extra costs.
MASSIVE DISRUPTION
In response, the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet said while it “generally supports the thrust of the recommendations” it was “too open-ended”.
The department sought more information about how the $75 million would be spent and when.
The committee said even a “simple and inefficient device” could cause “massive disruption” to the Games: “A credible hoax or suspected chemical, biological or radiological device at a Homebush venue could close the whole site, not just the venue concerned.
“Organised terrorists groups might therefore target major venues, railway stations or other access … particularly if they perceive them as ‘soft’ targets.”
The potential for terrorists to target specific Olympic teams, such as the US or Israeli athletes, at their hotels or training venues meant Sydney was the “more likely target” of an attack.
SIMPLE MINUTE, YEARS OF GST SLOG
It was the largest economic reform in the nation’s history affecting three billion prices, two million businesses and 27 pieces of legislation.
But the Howard government’s decision to introduce a 10 per cent goods and service tax is preserved in a short cabinet minute, which records: “The ministry noted a presentation by the Treasurer on the draft A New Tax System (Commonwealth-State Financial Arrangements) bill and agreed that: The bill as outlined in the Treasurer’s presentation be introduced into the parliament in March 1999.’’
That minute, dated March 8, 1999, fails to capture the true essence of what went on behind the scenes, former treasurer Peter Costello said.
“What it doesn’t tell you is that the presentation went for eight hours … on every aspect of the tax system,” Mr Costello said.
Describing the process as “one long nightmare’’, Mr Costello said that developing, selling and implementing the GST was the central theme over years of the Howard government: “We started preparing the policy in August of 1997, it took 12 months. I looked at these minutes … nine cabinet meetings in less than four weeks on GST to set the policy, some of them as I said going seven hours. We released the policy, 17 days later we called the election, won the election — just, just.
“We came back and within two months I introduced 27 bills … We finally cleared the Senate in June of ’99, so by this stage we’d been going for two years on GST.”
Mr Costello recalled the moment the senator he’d been relying on to get the GST through shot it down, saying: “I cannot impose this tax on my children and grandchildren.”
“It’s burned into my brain,” Mr Costello said. “We had come so far through the policy, through the election, through 27 bills. One speech sank it.’’
Mr Costello said there was no option but to negotiate with the Democrats, and ultimately give up the GST on fresh food.
BUGGED BY Y2K CHAOS FEAR
The Howard government considered bringing in celebrity finance experts to bust “millennium bug” fears in the community and stop hoarders stockpiling food and fuel.
The communication department recommended using TV personality Paul Clitheroe to calmly explain there was no risk — all as the government spent millions preparing for the worst. The fear was that computers programmed to read years by the last two digits only might misinterpret “00” as 1900 instead of 2000, causing massive malfunctions in the banking, telco and electricity systems.
Businesses and governments across the world spent billions of dollars in preparation and contingency plans.
NORFOLK SHIRE ‘ONEROUS’
The Howard government considered turning Norfolk Island into a shire of NSW but decided that it would be too “onerous’’ politically.
There were also concerns that allowing the tiny Pacific island to self-govern was giving “unintended support’’ to a push by the descendants of the original Bounty mutineers to claim independence.
A cabinet submission seeking a $3 million interest-free loan for the island, which is an external Australian territory, shows the government had concerns about its administration.
The island was given over to self-government in 1979.
“The self-government model applied to Norfolk has not been a complete success,’’ the submission notes.
HOW R-RATED FILM CAUSED QUITE A STIR
The Howard cabinet tried to stay out of the argument when several politicians objected to the R classification given to the film Lolita.
The movie, a remake based on Vladimir Nabokov’s novel depicting an intimate relationship between a middle-aged male academic and a 12-year-old girl, attracted huge controversy here, and Liberal Senator Trish Draper lobbied to limit its distribution.
Documents show cabinet agreed members of parliament could be considered “aggrieved persons’’ within the meaning of the Classifications Act, which gave them to the opportunity to seek a review of the Classification Board’s decision.
But cabinet also agreed not to fund any application for a review — and would not indicate a preferred outcome.
Instead, it was decided if aggrieved MPs could not appeal, the government would seek a review of their appeal rights “not to put a government position on the issue but so that the community views which the members represent are fully considered’’.