NSW: Sydney chaos could make it a likely terror threat: Oppn
31 Mar 2009 1:57 PM
SYDNEY, March 31 AAP - Sydney's inability to cope with a power blackout could make it a more likely terrorist target, the NSW opposition says.
About 70,000 homes and businesses, mostly in the city's north and the eastern suburbs were affected when four power cables that supply two major sub-stations in central Sydney failed about 4.40pm (AEDT) on Monday.
The opposition has criticised the government's handling of the blackout, saying relevant ministers were nowhere to be found when the public and media were looking for answers.
Questions have also been raised about Sydney's emergency warning system, although the NSW Police Force insists the system could have worked but it elected not to use it.
Opposition energy spokesman Duncan Gay said the lack of coordination by the government could make Sydney an attractive target for terrorists.
"Every time we have a problem with infrastructure with Sydney we have a greater problem than we should have," Mr Gay told reporters on Tuesday.
"I'm sure if people are looking for likely targets this pushes us slightly further up."
Mr Gay said Energy Minister Ian Macdonald should have been on radio and talking to other media while the crisis was going on so people knew what was happening.
"We had people caught in lifts, in buildings, people late getting home, traffic chaos," he said.
"Throughout this whole process there was no sign of the government.
"Where was the Energy Minister Ian Macdonald?"
Opposition emergency services spokeswoman Melinda Pavey said one NSW Fire Brigade officer described Monday afternoon's events as "bedlam".
She has called for the NSW government to review its emergency response system so lives are not put at risk in the case of a real threat.
