Media Release

KAP Leader and Federal Member for Kennedy is outraged at the security breaches and delays at the Cairns Airport today where over 1000 people, including Mr Katter, had to be re-screened due to scanner not working.

“We were informed third hand, by these poor overwhelmed airport staff, that a scanner had broken and was not working and everyone had to be re-scanned.

“We don’t know when they found out that the scanner was not working. But obviously around 1000 people had gone through.

“The burning question is how many people when through and boarded a flight before they found out the scanner was not working?

“The second worrying issue was that I could not speak to the Qantas Manager at the Cairns airport or the Cairns Airport CEO. When I called the Cairns Airport number and pressed the automated operator number for ‘emergency’ I got an answering service.

“In sharp contrast when I rang Brisbane the Qantas manager was on the phone within 20 seconds.

“I’m still waiting to speak to the Cairns Airport CEO and I’ve been told he was unavailable until hours later and in a board meeting.

“In my position as a Federal Member of Parliament where I have leverage, I could still not get anyone to talk to me.

“So there is maybe 7000 people grossly inconvenienced, a security breech raising serious questions about how security is being run, and the CEO in charge of the airport is in a board meeting. That comment speaks for itself,” Mr Katter said.

In stark contrast, Mr Katter has praised the staff on the ground at the Cairns Airport saying “in my opinion these are the best staff at an airport in Australia – I could not praise them more highly.”

“I would consider this the worst run and designed airport in Australia, manned by the most pleasant and highly and obliging people in Australia,” Mr Katter said.

Mr Katter will be seeking answers to what happened today and what procedures will be put in place so this does not happen again and ensure those responsible are held to account.