Former Prime Minister Gough Whitlam was unable to attend an event in Darwin today because of what he described as "overly officious" APEC security at Sydney airport.
Mr Whitlam, who is 91, told the
Herald he had chosen not to catch his flight to the northern capital because he did not want to be put through the extra security either leaving Sydney or arriving in Darwin.
"I wear orthotics to help me walk, but they would have made me take my shoes off and I'm buggered if I'm going to do that," Mr Whitlam said from his Sydney office.
"Then, on the way back I would have had to travel from Darwin to Brisbane and then to Sydney and go through the security at every stage of the process."
"Ordinarily they know me there and they just let me through, but with APEC they're going to be extra officious so I decided not to go."
The
Herald is seeking comment from the APEC taskforce.
http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/...067353132.html
Good on Gough I reckon. 