Sydney Airport cameras 'sabotaged'.
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Sydney Airport cameras 'sabotaged'
From: AAP
April 05, 2006
SECURITY cameras in the baggage handling area of Sydney Airport have been repeatedly tampered with, a federal MP says.
Labor MP John Murphy revealed the scandal to The Daily Telegraph, claiming the evidence raised fresh concerns about a string of drug cases.
In particular, he said it cast doubt on the guilt of convicted drug trafficker Schapelle Corby, jailed in Bali last year for trying to smuggle cannabis into the Indonesian island.
... "The Customs maintenance provider of its CCTV cameras at Sydney International Airport has been required to adjust two of Customs' CCTV cameras in the baggage make-up area of the airport on three occasions in total between October 2004 and May 2005," Senator Ellison said.
"These adjustments were required to correct the field of view following reports from Customs' control room operators that cameras were pointing in the wrong direction."
The cameras are used to monitor the behaviour of baggage handlers as they sift through luggage behind the airport's carousels. ...
Maybe they need more cameras focused on the cameras. ...
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The recording from the moved camera in the minutes leading up to its re-positioning showed a strange fur-covered animal approaching the camera. Experts can not understand how a camel could be roaming around in the baggage area at Sydney airport, so have reached the conclusion that the camera must have been faulty.
The federal government has again been forced to defend security at Australia's largest airport, following the suspected sabotage of surveillance cameras.
Customs Minister Chris Ellison has confirmed two security cameras aimed at baggage conveyor belts at Sydney Airport had to be repositioned or refocused on three occasions between October 2004 and February 2005.
Federal Labor backbencher John Murphy said the incidents raised fresh doubts about the case of Schapelle Corby, who travelled from Brisbane to Sydney and on to Bali where she was arrested in October 2004 with 4kg of marijuana in her bodyboard bag.
Despite claiming Australian baggage handlers were responsible for stashing the drugs in the bag, a Bali court convicted Corby and handed her a 20-year jail term.
Cocaine dealer handled Qantas bags
From: By Luke McIlveen
April 07, 2006
A CONVICTED cocaine dealer linked to drug-fuelled police officers who shot dead Roni Levi has worked as a Qantas baggage handler at Sydney airport for the past four years.
The Daily Telegraph can reveal Easton Barrington James was given full security clearance by state and federal agencies and has had access to all airport areas since 2002.
It comes after revelations security cameras in the baggage-handling area at the airport were tampered with at the same time a huge cocaine syndicate was operating through the international terminal.
<snip>
His job involved sorting suitcases on the baggage carousel and loading them on to aircraft.
The revelation will come as a major embarrassment to Customs Minister Chris Ellison, who yesterday dismissed concerns about airport security as a "beat-up."
The minister confirmed The Daily Telegraph's report yesterday that security cameras in the baggage handling area had been tampered with.
Twist! Totally unbelievable. Here we have another serious matter and all they can do is point fingers at one another! How was this person allowed an ASIC card? Qantas is not responsible. Customs is not responsible. The government is not responsible.
Twist! Totally unbelievable. Here we have another serious matter and all they can do is point fingers at one another! How was this person allowed an ASIC card? Qantas is not responsible. Customs is not responsible. The government is not responsible.
We must be responsible. :roll:
You are right, JohnK. The buck stops nowhere these days.
The question to ask is, why was security not running to the spot the instant it was moved? Good camera systems blow the whistle, when they are moved, or significantly obscured. However, if no audit presence is percieved, then the mice will play. If it happened more than once, then their whole system is really about show, not effectiviness.
Are people are being judgemental here ?- we need roid pumped goons to shift our suitcases efficiently- its not a pleasant job. Those with tarnished records would get at least 20K less under 'workchoices', so the airport can't be too selective, plus they can be put on the 'bad' shifts. Anyone with a habbit- would not be working as a baggage handler, at least in .au. You can bet other systems are in place, to minimise risk.
On camera systems, experience tells me they get moved when:
1) bosses sound off about recalcitrant workers taking a smoko, or going a tad slowish - ie used for other than security reasons
2) Candid footage - like sex in a stairwell, or smoking in a non-smoking area- when the participants did not know there was a camera about, or get warned about using someone elses car spot.
3) Security consultant wants to manufacture a reason to extend a contract.
4) These goons already know the blind spots - very unlikey they want to attact attention.
5) Someone reprimanded for ripping off a tag - if you cant steal, then at least you can cause a routing malfunction of a toff you may not like.
Now if someone got dressed up in an animal suit, then relationships must be at an all time low. As usual, secrecy clauses probably prevent lowly paid baggage scum talking to the media about lousy conditions and lousy pay.
And in an odd twist, some of these goons get performance bonuses for identifying suspicious items. It does sound bad, but the situation is carefully risk managed. Now if only I could find to links where American baggage handlers banish boredom - enhanced 'gravity' tests of fragile items etc
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