Editorial: Flawed security

OPINION: Police Minister Judith Collins can rant and rage all she likes but a Fairfax Sunday newspaper's rugby ground security expose has to be applauded, writes The Southland Times in an editorial.

Why? Because last weekend's Sunday Star-Times' investigation was a timely security wake-up call for Mrs Collins and her police team, stadium managers, 2011 Rugby World Cup bosses, and not to forget the fans, too.

The Rugby World Cup may still be 18 months away but what the paper revealed was that there are significant concerns over stadium security in three of the country's biggest grounds, which are all World Cup venues.

That's the only thing you can draw from the revelations by the Star-Times, which sent undercover reporters to Super 14 rugby games in Hamilton and Christchurch, carrying toy bombs of all things.

Two of their other reporters, dressed up as construction workers, managed to easily get into restricted zones, and close to players, during the cricket international between New Zealand and Australia at Eden Park in Auckland.

Now, if that isn't cause for concern, then goodness knows what is because the Rugby World Cup, need we remind anyone, will be the biggest sporting event in New Zealand's history.

And following a recent spate of terrorist threats against sporting events worldwide, including this year's Commonwealth Games in Delhi, India, the paper's exercise was timely and the results alarming.

Rugby World Cup security bosses have said they were disappointed with the flawed and laid-back security, but they pointed out it will be a lot tighter at the Rugby World Cup than it is at Super 14 games, or a cricket international. Well, that had better be the case.

It's also way too easy for those in charge to say it will be much different next year, or even to think that little old, isolated New Zealand just doesn't have to worry about those sorts of things.

New Zealand may not be as big a target for terrorist groups as other countries but it takes only one lapse for there to be catastrophic consequences.

New Zealanders, too, are trusting by nature, and generally take people at face value, and that was highlighted by the Star-Times investigation. But that can't be the case when it comes to security, and employing security guards, at such a massive international event like next year's Rugby World Cup.

And if you agree with Judith Collins, who said the investigation was a "stunt" and "insane", and that she didn't know what was going through the "silly heads" of the Star-Times bosses, then how far do you think any media organisation would have got by simply asking questions about security arrangements? They'd probably still be waiting for the return phone calls.

The emotive response from Mrs Collins was typical of a politician who's been caught out.

It is not the Sunday Star-Times' fault that security at three of our rugby stadiums seems pretty close to useless, but it is part of the paper's role to highlight the problem.

When Mrs Collins and her team eventually figure that one out, they'll hopefully get cracking on addressing the situation.

They've dropped the ball once. They can't let it happen again.

- © Fairfax NZ News

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