Warren Truss (Wide Bay, National Party, Minister for Transport and Regional Services) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the honourable member for Cowper for his question and recognise his interest in the safety of all Australians travelling around the world. Whilst the UK just a few hours ago reduced its assessment level from critical to severe in relation to the terrorism threat in the UK, the United States has maintained its level at high. As a result, there are requirements being placed on all international airlines, and passengers, operating into the United States. For instance, Australian passengers embarking on flights to the US are being asked to go through additional screening measures. They are not allowed to carry liquids or gels, of any size, through the screening point. That includes beverages, duty-free beverages, shampoo, suntan lotion, toothpaste and other items of similar consistency. They can put these sorts of items in their luggage, and I would certainly encourage passengers who have any questions to talk to their airline, before they go to the airport, to make sure that the goods they are proposing to carry onto the aircraft will be allowed through security. Items excluded from the list of prohibited items include baby formulas and juice—if there is a baby or small child travelling with the passengers. Liquid medicines will need to be verified, so I would again encourage passengers to talk to their airlines and their doctors about what might be necessary to carry on flights of that nature.

I thank passengers, who I appreciate are being put to some inconvenience as a result of these extra measures. The measures are a requirement of the United States while their terrorism threat is high, and we need to do what we can to cooperate with them in ensuring that passengers travelling to and from the United States can do so in safety.

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