Greeks Put Torch Relay On Hold

[pies4ever]

Greeks put torch relay on hold
By David Penberthy
FoxSports
May 4, 2004

AUSTRALIA may miss out on hosting the Olympic torch relay because the Greek Games organisers are insisting on sending their own security personnel for the event.

The plan is a clear breach of Australian law, which does not permit non-Australians to work as police or security guards in this country.

But the Athens Olympic Committee is digging in, despite the protests from the Australian Olympic Committee and the NSW Government.

If the issue is not resolved within the next few days, the Australian leg of the torch relay will not go ahead.

Sydney is meant to be the first city outside of Greece to receive the torch. It is scheduled to arrive in Sydney on June 4 before going to Melbourne, after which it heads on to Tokyo.

There are 277 torchbearers lining up to take part in the Sydney and Melbourne legs of the relay, and special care has been taken to give the event a Greek flavour. The route has been planned to take in the Greek communities of Brighton le Sands and the eastern suburbs.

Sydney Olympics hero and athletics champion Cathy Freeman is scheduled to be the first Australian to carry the torch.

Premier Bob Carr made a personal appeal to the Athens Games organisers yesterday to work with NSW Police rather than insisting on providing Greek police or security guards.

He explained that the use of a "private security force" in NSW as proposed by the Greek organisers would be unlawful under the Security Industry Act. Similar laws apply in Victoria.

"Let's work together to make the torch relay happen," Mr Carr said last night.

"It is only right that the Australian police officers should be used in NSW - as it is only right that the Greeks guard the torch in Greece."

"It would be a shame to disappoint the 277 torchbearers in NSW and Victoria, that is why I am urging everyone to work together to make this happen."

But The Daily Telegraph understands that the Greeks have indicated to the Australian Olympic Committee that they will only go ahead with the relay if they get their way.

This is despite the fact that Australian law could not be any clearer on the issue.

The 1997 NSW Security Industry Act states that it is an offence to carry out a security role without a licence, and that the Police Commissioner must refuse to grant an application for a licence where the applicant "is not an Australian citizen or a permanent Australian resident".

As a result, the NSW Crown Solicitor's Office has recommended that NSW does not sign the agreement with the Athens Olympic Committee until the security issue is resolved.

Mr Carr said he was confident the Athens organisers would understand that Australia had no choice and that leaving security for the relay to local authorities was the only option.

"Put simply, it should be the NSW Police and the NSW Police alone who provides the security and protection services for events in this state," he said.

The Daily Telegraph