Sunday, December 01, 2002

Fairfield Councillor Thang Ngo’s call for Police local area commanders to brief the Council in relation to the current terrorist alert has been successful; with a briefing date scheduled for Tuesday, 17^th December.

Police Local Area Commanders from the Fairfield area will be briefing councillors directly.

Cr Ngo said he believed Fairfield’s risk from a terrorist attack was minimal, however it was important that Councillors be briefed for many reasons:

• Council runs many public facilities including libraries, swimming pools, Fairfield Showground, Fairfield City Farm and it is responsible practice for council to understand what the risks are and how to minimise them in order to protect residents
• Councillors can also pass on information from the briefing to the general community to assist residents know what to look for and the appropriate way to report suspicious incidents
• During the briefing, councillors would have the opportunity to ask questions and satisfy themselves that Police will walk the fine line between protecting the community and not infringing on residents’ civil liberties - in particular that Police will be sensitive to residents from Muslim or Arabic-speaking backgrounds

"I’m concerned that the government is asking us to chase shadows; on one hand we’re told to go on with our daily lives, while on the other we should remain in a state of nervousness or high alert" said Cr Ngo

"Residents want to know what and how they are meant to do, they need practical answers not vague, non-specific warnings.

"I’m also very concerned that Councillors and Council staff understand the full ramification of the alert so we can minimise any risk to protect our residents. At the end of the day, Council runs many public services including swimming pools and libraries, I would want us to take all the necessary precautions to protect residents.

"That’s why I’ve called for this briefing and I’m glad the Police has responded positively to my request" said Cr Ngo.