Upholding and enforcing the law at airports will need a serious overhaul in light of the murder at Sydney Airport on Sunday, said Senator Barnaby Joyce, the Leader of the Nationals in the Senate.
“Unfortunately it has become evident that after consideration of what happened at Sydney Airport and the complete intrusion into the general principles of decency and civility that was ignored by those on both sides of the murder of Anthony Zervas, we will have to step up procedures,” Senator Joyce said.
“The question that Australians must ask is how long would these people exhibiting this type of behaviour last at an airport in Singapore. Although I have questioned the extensive and evident presence of armed public police and defence members I now see a very good to reason to have them.
“The murderous melee would have been brought to an abrupt end if people were confronted with members of the defence force or the police force armed with semi-automatic weapons.
“In the past, I would have believed this was an incursion into the basic philosophy of Australians wanting to keep things toned down as much as possible but the actions of certain groups in our society have now meant that a reassessment of this view is appropriate.
“People have to acknowledge that their public actions are a reflection of the group to which they belong and you have no one to blame but yourself when the lack of discipline or public etiquette within that group means that Australians generally want your actions or in some instances your public presence curtailed.”