As I mentioned, official excuses and blame shifting is going on over the bikie brawl which left one dead at Sydney Airport last Sunday.
I've just come across yesterday's national media release from the Australian Federal Police about the incident. It is so funny, so slippery, and so evasively bureaucratic that for your amusement and amazement I reprint it in full here:
AFP response to Sydney Airport incident
Monday, 23 March 2009
The Australian Federal Police is working closely with the New South Wales police in response to the alleged murder which occurred at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport on the afternoon of Sunday 22 March.
The AFP then undertook the secondary role of assisting New South Wales Policing by providing cordon and containment support at multiple crime scenes.
The Unified Policing Model staffing numbers deployed at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport are to the agreed level and New South Wales Police has provided the agreed complement of officers within this arrangement.
Policing numbers at airports are determined after negotiation between the AFP and all State and Territory Police that are appropriate for policing needs within the aviation environment.
These numbers are agreed numbers through COAG.
The AFP had a full complement of staff rostered on shift at the time of the incident and all AFP members were subsequently deployed in response to this incident.
At the time of the incident there were 22 AFP members on duty.
The policing response from AFP and New South Wales Police was commensurate with, or better than, a policing response that would have occurred in the wider community.
A comprehensive police response was on the scene within minutes of notification.
The investigation is being conducted by the New South Wales Police pursuant to the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) governing the operation of the Unified Policing Model at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport.
Under those arrangements, the AFP's role is to provide an initial response followed by assistance to the New South Wales Police which has lead responsibility for the investigation of alleged offences of this type.
This is a matter now before the courts.
The AFP presence at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport is one of several layers of security including closed circuit television cameras. Although not the responsibility for monitoring the closed circuit television camera network, the AFP responded swiftly when alerted to the incidents which were occurring.
Despite the comprehensive AFP response, the AFP is reviewing the incident in conjunction with law enforcement and aviation industry partners.
Media enquiries:
AFP Media (Canberra): (02) 6275 7100
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