What are body scanners?
Body scanners represent the most advanced passenger screening technology available and can detect a range of sophisticated threats on a person's body or within their clothing. Body scanners can detect both metallic and non-metallic items, including prohibited items, components of improvised explosive devices and weapons. Body scanners are a proven technology and have been used overseas for aviation security screening purposes since 2007. All body scanners used in Australia have undergone stringent testing in line with aviation security standards to ensure their effectiveness.
Why are body scanners only being introduced at international airports?
Australia's aviation security regime is based on an intelligence-led assessment of risk. Aircraft departing international airports in Australia are exposed to a variety of risks that are not present, or are less pronounced, in the domestic context.
What other countries have introduced body scanners?
Body scanners are used for aviation security screening in several other countries including the United States of America, Canada, the United Kingdom, Thailand and the Netherlands.
How will people be selected for a body scan?
Any person may be selected to undergo a body scan on a random basis. Selection will not be based on race, age or religion.
Why a no opt-out policy?
Body scanning technology can identify a variety of sophisticated threats that cannot be detected by existing screening technology. Walk through metal detectors and the style of frisk search currently used at Australian airports simply cannot provide the same security outcome a body scanner can.
The only method of screening that could provide a similar security outcome to that of a body scanner is the type of invasive full body frisk search conducted overseas. The Government has been resolute in not introducing such searches as part of our airport security arrangements. For this reason and in the interests of security and privacy, passengers selected for body scanner screening cannot choose inferior or significantly intrusive alternatives. Accordingly, the Government has decided a no opt-out policy will be enforced in relation to screening at airports.
What if I refuse a body scan?
If a person refuses to undergo a body scan, and they have no medical or physical condition which prevents them for undertaking a body scan, they will be refused clearance and not allowed to pass through the screening point. They therefore will not be allowed to board their aircraft. This policy not only applies to passengers, but also to pilots, other aircrew, government officers and airport staff.
What if I can't go through the body scanner due to health issues?
The Government understands some people will be unable to undergo a body scan for a variety of reasons. In order to undergo a body scan, a person must be able to stand upright and still for several seconds with their hands above their head.
Persons with medical or physical conditions that prevent them from undertaking a body scan will be offered alternative screening methods suitable to their circumstances. These alternative screening methods will consist of those already used at Australia's aviation security screening points.
Will children be selected for a body scan?
Infants and young children under 140cms will not be selected to undergo a body scan.
Are there any health risks associated with body scanners?
Body scanners at Australian international airports use non-ionising radio frequency energy in the millimetre-wave spectrum. Other parts of the radio frequency spectrum are utilised by many devices in every day public use, such as mobile phones and wireless network devices.
The level of energy emitted by the body scanner is many thousands of times less than the maximum permissible exposure levels for the public specified in the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency Radiation Protection Standard which sets a maximum permissible exposure level for members of the public, including children.
What type of technology does the body scanner use?
Body scanners at Australian international airports use non-ionising radio frequency energy in the millimetre-wave spectrum. The energy emitted from a scan is approximately 10,000 times less than a single mobile phone transmission and comparable to passive exposure from someone else using a mobile phone several metres away.
What about radiation from X-rays?
Body scanners used for aviation security screening in Australia do not use X-ray technology.
Why has the European Union banned body scanners?
The European Union adopted legislation on 14 November 2011 to restrict body scanners to types which do not use X-ray technology. The same restrictions apply in Australia.
What about people with cancer or a high history of radiation exposure?
Millimetre-wave body scanners do not emit ionising radiation and hence do not have the same safety concerns as those body scanners using X-ray technology.
What about reports on the danger of terahertz technology?
The body scanners that will be used in Australia operate in the very lower end of the millimetre-wave spectrum, around the 30 GHz frequency. The terahertz frequency field encompasses the 300 GHz 3 THz frequency range. As such, reports on terahertz technology do not raise concerns about the proposed introduction of millimetre-wave body scanners.
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