New Oz airport scanners not naked but one question remains
Body scanners are to be introduced at all of Australia’s international airports “providing the travelling public with the most advanced passenger screening technology available in the world”, the federal Department of Infrastructure and Transport has announced.
Following a successful trial of the technology in Sydney and Melbourne, the new technology will be rolled out across airports from this July.
The controversial “naked scanners” which reveal 
every intimate contour of a passenger’s body and proved very contentious when introduced in the US, will not be used, the department hastened to add.
“The machines only produce a generic outline (see diagram) to display the location of metal and non-metal items under clothing. To protect people’s privacy, the image will appear as a stick figure so all men will have the same outline and all women will have the same outline with no defining features. As an additional measure, the images will not be able to be copied and will not be stored.
“The ‘millimetre-wave’ body scanners are perfectly safe and one body scan is comparable to passive exposure to a mobile phone used several metres away,” the statement said.
Once introduced, passengers departing Australia may be required to pass through a body scanner as part of standard screening processes.
While the legislation allows exemptions for serious medical conditions, any passenger directed by an officer must undergo screening and refusal to screen will mean refusal to fly. The Gillard Government announced a package of measures in 2010 to strengthen aviation security “as a result of global events”.
The AUD28 million package provides for new screening measures, including body scanners, at Australia’s eight international gateway airports. Health, privacy and safety were assessed following the trial including extensive consultation with industry and privacy groups.
Australia has a safe aviation record with over 13 million people flying out of its international airports each year.
“This will provide an additional layer of security at our airports and is part of the Government’s AUD200 million Strengthening Aviation Security Initiative,” the department said.
It sounds almost perfect – but at least one aviation writer has detected a flaw.
As Ben Sandilands put it in his Plane Talking blog on crikey.com.au, “there is one question that the Australian government has refused to answer since it began trialling body scanners for international airport terminals.
“What happens when the machine shows up a person in full bomb vest laced with ball bearings?
“Do the scanner staff bolt for the door shouting ‘run for your lives’, or what?”
That’s a very good question.
Written by : Peter Needham
They said cigarettes were safe. I do not believe that these scanners have had sufficient trials to determine the amount of radiation absorbed by the body and the long term risks. I view this blanket law as an affront to our democracy and, like in the USA, we should be permitted to opt for a pat down. This is the usual knee jerk reaction from a government devoted to eroding our personal freedoms. Current security works, I cannot recall any incidents ex Australia so why waste public funds. No doubt airport taxes will rise to recoup the expense and yet again the travelling public will suffer. Airlines should oppose this as it will mean those of us who value our long term health will refuse to fly. Just think of the delays that will be caused if boarding is denied and bags have to be offloaded. What will happen if an American tourist returning home refuses the scan? All pax should absolutely refuse to be scanned if they want to minimise risks of radiation and consequence cancers.