Airports told to complete security checks after Avalon incident

Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke has directed large regional airports to conduct an urgent risk assessment after a teen allegedly boarded a Jetstar flight with a gun at Avalon airport.

Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke has ordered regional airports to conduct urgent risk assessments in the wake of a major security breach at Avalon airport. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke has directed large regional airports to conduct an urgent risk assessment following a teenager allegedly attempting to board a Jetstar flight with a gun at Avalon airport.

The directive comes after Thursday’s incident at Victoria’s second major airport, which has no permanent police presence and is instead guarded by private security officers.

Officers from Lara police station 9km away arrested a 17-year-old boy, who was overpowered by passengers and staff after attempting to board a busy Sydney bound flight.

Mr Burke said he had directed his department to write to Avalon and other “similar airports” on Friday, informing them of the order.

“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.

Alongside Avalon airport, the directive includes Newcastle, Hobart, Launceston, Sunshine Coast, Alice Springs, Townsville, Mackay and Rockhampton airport.

The order is the latest in a major review of security standards at Australian airports, with the Department of Home Affairs confirming it dispatched investigators to Avalon on Friday and the airport launching its own internal review.

Avalon airport said all government mandated security requirements were in place at the time of the security breach, but have since implemented “further measures across the airport,” in the wake of the incident.

While the department maintained that security at the airport was a matter for state police, Mr Burke said they were working on measures to instruct airports to track people on their grounds.

“The department is also working on measures (including use of directive powers) which would require airports to improve detection and monitoring of any intrusion into their grounds,” Mr Burke said in a statement.

“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.”

The teenager accused of boarding the flight fronted court on Friday, facing 12 charges, including unlawfully taking control of an aircraft, making a threat to the safety of an aircraft, possessing a fake explosive device and processing a firearm without a licence.

Police allege he entered the airport through a hole in the security fence.