Using advanced technology that makes passengers appear as stick figures, mandatory full-body scans are being rolled out at all of Australia’s major airports. Successful trials at Sydney and Melbourne airports last year signal the end of a loophole in legislation that had allowed passengers to request a pat-down instead of having to pass through a metal detector.
“I think the public understands that we live in a world where there are threats to our security and experience shows they want the peace of mind that comes with knowing government is doing all it can,” said Transport Minister Anthony Albanese in the Australian.
The new scanners, part of a $28 million overhaul, tested successfully year on more than 23,000 passengers in trials from August 2-19 in Sydney and September 5-30 in Melbourne.
The Australian government is touting the technology as the most advanced available, with the equipment able to detect metallic and non-metallic items beneath clothing with few radio waves emitted.
Made by L-3 Communications, the same company used in the United States to supply the scanners, the unisex images are discarded after each passenger has been cleared, satisfying privacy concerns.
The proposed Aviation Security Amendment (Screening) Bill 2012 will make it mandatory for any passenger selected, except those with serious medical conditions, to participate in a body scan and will be rolled out at a total of eight international gateway airports including Adelaide, Brisbane, Cairns and Gold Coast Perth.
(Source: Huffington Post)
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5 Responses
This will never fly in the US, we have the 4th amendment to protect our rights.
Oh, thats right – Our president did away with most of that silly document. What was I thinking?
If one can trust that the images really are discarded. The TSA here has been caught not doing so.
I saw the image the scanners project. They’re more descriptive than a modest person would feel comfortable with. I was also told they could not gaurantee that the person seeing the image would not be a man. Unless they allow only female security to view female passengers and male /male, I see this as becoming problematic here.
Looking for the bomb rather than the bomber has always been the wrong – and most costly – approach.
The Israelis have it right.
The socialist liberal democrat mantra of “well its done in other countries so it should be done here,” is false. We are NOT like other countries and that makes us better!
As for this news piece, I don’t have an opinion on it yet – just the concept being pushed by the headline.