Australians Overwhelmingly Support Full Body Scans at Airports to Combat Threats to Aviation SecurityUnisys Security Index shows 7 out of 10 Australians will sacrifice privacy for greater security during air travel
Sydney, 14 April, 2010 - Australians have swept aside privacy concerns about the use of full body scanners at airports with 70 percent of adults supporting the use of the devices, according to new research released today by Unisys.
The results from the latest Unisys Security Index™ show the vast majority of Australian passengers are willing to undergo a range of procedures such as full body scans and biometric identification to increase aviation security and enable more efficient passenger processing.
The findings follow renewed debate about the introduction of full body scanners in response to recent aviation security incidents including the thwarted attack on a transatlantic jet on Christmas Day and the Federal Government announcement in February that it will spend $200 million to boost security at Australian airports.
“Aviation security is well and truly back in the spotlight following recent security infringements,” said John Kendall, National Security Program Director, Unisys Asia Pacific.
“Our Unisys Security Index research shows Australians want to be a part of the security solution and they are willing to sacrifice a level of privacy in exchange for additional aviation security,” he said.
Recognizing the need to address air travel security concerns, Unisys today also announced the launch of its Next Generation Airport Passenger Security Solution. This new solution integrates advanced technologies with existing IT and communication systems to provide passengers with an improved travel experience while enhancing security and reducing costs.
The Unisys Security Index, conducted for Unisys in March by Newspoll, surveyed some Australians on their security concerns in four areas: national, personal, Internet, and financial.
On a scale of zero (no concern) to 300 (highest concern), the overall April 2010 Unisys Security Index for Australia stands at 123 which is unchanged since the last survey was conducted in October 2009. However within that, the Personal Security Index, measuring concerns about overall personal safety and the security of personal information, rose five points from October 2009, with an estimated 645,000 more Australians concerned about their own safety over the past six months.
Of the 80 percent of respondents who said they travelled by air, the following percentages of Australians said they were willing to sacrifice some privacy when travelling by air in order to attain greater security and more convenience:
“These are significant results which clearly demonstrate the willingness of the flying public to participate in measures designed to safeguard their travels.
“The endorsement by the Australian public of particular security measures despite perceptions of the loss of privacy sends a message to aviation regulators that the community is supportive of more stringent measures,” said Mr Kendall.
About the Unisys Security Index
The Unisys Security Index is a bi-annual global study that provides insights into the attitudes of consumers on a wide range of security related issues. Conducted in Australia by market research firm Newspoll the Unisys Security Index provides a regular, statistically robust measure gauging levels of concern about various aspects of security. The survey on which the latest Australian Unisys Security Index is based, was conducted nationally 19-21 February 2010 by Newspoll using a nationally representative sample of 1,200 respondents aged 18 years and over. All results have been post-weighted to Australian Bureau of Statistics data. The study measures consumer perceptions on a scale of zero to 300, with 300 representing the highest level of perceived concern. For more information on the Unisys Security Index including additional resource material visit: www.unisyssecurityindex.com.au.
About Unisys Asia Pacific
In Asia Pacific, Unisys delivers services and solutions through subsidiaries in Australia, New Zealand, China, Hong Kong, India, Malaysia, The Philippines, Singapore, and Taiwan and through distributors or resellers in other countries in the region. For more information, visit www.unisys.com.au Follow us on www.twitter.com/UnisysAPAC.
About Unisys
Unisys is a worldwide information technology company. We provide a portfolio of IT services, software, and technology that solves critical problems for clients. We specialise in helping clients secure their operations, increase the efficiency and utilisation of their data centres, enhance support to their end users and constituents, and modernise their enterprise applications. To provide these services and solutions, we bring together offerings and capabilities in outsourcing services, systems integration and consulting services, infrastructure services, maintenance services, and high-end server technology. With approximately 26,000 employees, Unisys serves commercial organisations and government agencies throughout the world. For more information, visit www.unisys.com
Contacts
Julian Brophy, Perception Partners, 0408 276 749 julian@perceptionpartners.com.au
Claire Hosegood, Unisys, 0411 253 663
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