National Security Vs. The Chaser
I thought this was soooo quirky it couldn’t go unspotted…
Australian’s have been hearing about this all week, now the President is gone (oh woe!).
In the wake of yesterday’s sadness, I wish to highlight to the world how secure we really are! Even with 10s of 1000s of dollars, tch tch…
The Chaser is a program aired on the ABC (Australia’s Independent Government Broadcaster or something). They specialize in making a scene by challenging political thinking and basically making public asses of themselves through ‘comedy’. I am not a regular viewer of the program, and they have their lovers and haters. But whether you love ‘em or hate ‘em, I can’t deny the potency of this example…
It’s a wonder they didn’t get killed, and I am glad they didn’t, but they were antagonising the security for the entire time… How did they not see this coming…
Good work Chaser… you proved something to me that I already thought anyway…
Below is a transcript from the ABC News website and a few other links for those interested…
Mixed response to Chaser’s APEC antics
THE ABC has received 266 complaints about the Chaser team’s breaching of security at the APEC forum in Sydney last week.
The national broadcaster has also had 177 phone calls, emails or letters of “appreciation” for the stunt in which the Chaser team were charged by police with entering a restricted zone after driving a mock motorcade bearing Canadian flags through two security checkpoints.
The Chaser team maintained they had no intention of entering the restricted “red” zone. Once inside it, they turned around voluntarily and were approached by police only after Chaser performer Chas Licciardello got out of the car, dressed as Osama bin Laden.
An ABC spokeswoman, Lesna Thomas, said: “People generally call to complain. You usually don’t hear from them when they like a show, so the number of appreciative calls is high.”
She said the ABC had not had any complaints about the Chaser prank from politicians or police.
Talkback callers around the country supported the Chaser by a four-to-one margin.Media Monitors figures showed the Chaser stunt accounted for more than a third of the 420 calls on APEC between last Thursday and Sunday.
On 2UE in Sydney one caller thanked the Chaser team for highlighting a major hole in the APEC security, while another on Melbourne’s 3AW said the stunt was funny and criticised the Government for spending more than $170 million on security for APEC instead of on hospitals and public transport.
On the ABC in Sydney another caller called the prank hilarious and said she did not think it was irresponsible.
But one caller, on 3AW, said if US President George Bush had been in his hotel, the Chaser team could all have been killed. He described them as lunatics.
Late yesterday, the day before the sixth anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks, the Chaser team released on the community networking site, My Space, a spoof address from Osama bin Laden.
The team have renamed their program tomorrow night The Chaser’s War on APEC.
http://www.news.com.au/entertainment/story/0,23663,22345122-10229,00.html
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2007/09/06/1188783378804.html
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2007/09/07/1188783496428.html
Steven Lippis
The biggest joke is that they COULD do it, and so easily.
We saw footage of snipers, helicopters, boats and gunmen on jetskis.
Yet they could drive right through without being challenged.
To be honest, i’m not surprised.
Where I work, we have to come through a secure area. Occasionally (read every second day) the security gate breaks down and won’t close. In come security guards.
I catch a train then walk to work, and I have a hell of a time getting past the security guards. Yet people in cars drive right in without being checked. Surely the biggest risk is a car bomb, yet they’re never checked for ID or anything. Hell, the security infrastructure put in place here after 9-11 is designed to stop car bombs.
kathleen
Speaking of car bombs Steven, I was shocked to realise that when I visited Canberra last year (where my sister resides) to see that all the ‘police’ security around parliament house were on mountain bikes and the car park is actually beneath parliament. You drive right in, park and go off wherever. I ain’t no terrorist, but I guess if someone wanted to be nasty they could drive a car in there and detonate it 2 hours later… from somewhere else… I mean I know nothing of that kind of technology but I am guessing it’s a little bit more involved than the internet and if you have the money and motivation it’s EASY.
So, voters, if you are thinking about national security where you go to the polls remember that this government have made an absolute farce of it…
not really surprised much, I mean, they hate spending money, they don’t spend money unless they are forced to and they only spend money of backing up business or other governments… Where’s the public health and education funding? They are in crisis but noooo, our Liberal Government will only give money to Private Hospitals and Private schools…. elitist? What do you think?
kseriphyn
Despite their risk taking acts. I love the Chaser guys. They know how to push boundries.
kathleen
They are crazy!!! But I am glad they do what they do (some of it, sometimes they make me sick but…)... This world needs um!
Steven Lippis
Yeah, I assume it’s going to be built to withstand it, but who knows, maybe not. Remember the guy who drove his car right through the front?
That’s one thing that pisses me off. I was thinking about it this morning on my way to work. They sell off government assets to get a budget surplus, but instead of education and health, where does it go?
Our income tax rates are much higher than the UK, yet they have free health and dental.
Same goes for Canada (not sure about their tax rates though), yet it becomes more and more expensive for us to get health care. I paid $80 for my last GP visit, luckily I did get most of that back, but seriously, what if you don’t have $100 straight up? How long until they stop giving a rebate?
kathleen
Rebate is the magic word they use to ‘bribe’ voters… everyday life is so expensive and unmanageable that if they think they will get any tax back they go there… this government though are clever at changing the rules…
I mean… democracy means very little unless there is quality education for the masses… they have worked every step of the way to ensure that mis-education is their policy…
yet… interest rates go up and up and up… we have the longest working hours in the western world and no time for the family we are supposed to be expanding for the good of the nation.
We are technically considered a large family by the government cause we got 3 kids… we get an extra 19 dollars something a fortnight, that doesn’t cover a pack of nappies… hey it’s all a sliding scale but how can we tackle this aging population if the government have forced families to maintain double incomes (because they have done nothing to combat the cost of living, in fact they don’t understand the cost of living in Australia they are so out of touch but that’s another anecdote) and force our babies away from us… We were a double income family with one child, it was too hard… and easier to manage the finances and everything else with less stress on one income… well there are lots of factors, but we’re doing ok (struggle but ok), many many people don’t do well at all…
STRINGER
IT IS REGRETTABLE THAT THE FAKE MOTORCADE DIDN”T CONTAIN A SHIT LOAD OF FERTILISER AND DIESEL INSTEAD OF COMEDIANS. WE COULD HAVE BEEN RID OF JOHN AND GEORGE THE EVIL FASCIST DWARVES ONCE AND FOR ALL. IMAGINE HOW MUCH BIGGER IT COULD HAVE BEEN IF ONLY TERRORISTS THOUGHT LIKE COMEDIANS. ALL THE ASIA PACIFIC LEADERS FRAGGED IN ONE HIT SHEER CHAOS!!!
PLUS THE PEOPLE IN CHARGE OF SECURITY WOULD BE THROWING THEMSELVES UNDER BUSES OR OFF OF BUILDINGS. THAT’S WHAT I CALL A WIN WIN SITUATION THOSE BASTARDS DESERVE TO FEEL THE SAME SUFFERING THEY CAUSE INNOCENT PEOPLE ACROSS THIS ENTIRE PLANET I AM A FIRM BELIEVER IN AN EYE FOR AN EYE AND A TOOTH FOR A TOOTH!! BUGGER ALL THIS NAMBY PAMBY TURN THE OTHER CHEEK NEW TESTAMENT BULLSHIT…......
..........Whippety KRACK!!!!
Steven Lippis
Liberal policy seems to push a rich, educated minority being supported by a vast, poverty stricken uneducated mass. Pretty much the US model, same as we’re going with healthcare and education.
I can’t remember what/where, but there’s some scale on housing affordability. We’re the most expensive in the western world. You NEED two incomes to afford a house, a single person or family with a stay at home parent just can’t afford it. And to coincide, rents are sky rocketing, so people can’t save to buy. Then being able to afford kids on top of that, it’s madness.
kathleen
Stringer, what can I say, I can not disagree with one single thing you have said… ho hum.
Madness is a nation that are fighting to hold onto things that are righteous for sustainability amid guilt for doing so… and in paradox people (I think) are forced to be selfish to make decisions but that doesn’t help the needy and the voiceless who are in minority… popularism and democracy can’t equate necessarily when there is so much mis-information… but that’s the conspiracy I guess… or whatever… all I feel is injustice and in-equality, I don’t see much good stuff…
although, occasionally people like the chaser show me that there are heaps of people who think similarly to the way I do, and that is the best hope I can get (especially for my children).
STRINGER
The needy and voiceless are actually the majority it’s just that they don’t have laser guided cluster bombs and 64 man security squads.
Steve Axford
How you do things counts to stringy old pal. You can go with the view that the guy with the biggest bomb is right, but that don’t get the little guy very much except the loss of a few limbs. Artists like you will just be tortured and thrown in a deep dungeon for daring to speak your mind. Think about the consequences sometime, eh?
kathleen
Yes they are in the world and probably Aust. too… but that fact doesn’t translate in the ‘polls’ apparently… in the voting nations or whatever. the average Australian by all local accounts seems more afraid of each other or our nation’s original owners than of some big event, I for one became more afraid of the prospect of war or terrorism here after we got involved. Even after Bali. Some say that it would have happened anyway but some say that there must have been a certain confidence gained and attitude reinforced after the Australian government made certain commitments. Just my feeling, I walked in the peace marches and copped abuse for it.. but, I can’t advocate war… I can however advocate karma, whichever way that happens, I hope it is for the overall achievement of goodness… that’s the only light I see.
Ange
I absolutely love The Chaser guys. With a good dose of sarcastic humour they get it right every single time.
They also have balls.
mawaho
I watched the so-called security violation tonight on TV and admire the Chaser guys for their stunt. I don’t admire the government spending our money on their self promotion at the Apec Summit. What did it achieve anyhow? The obvious security incompetence is tragic as was the thug-like treatment of an accountant crossing the road being manhandled in front of his young son and a woman photographer who was smashed to the ground. I hope we get it right soon and can return to a more humane way of life at home and with our neighbours.
MissKristy
Ahh they’re all wankers …the government AND the chasers :)) LOL
Look, I see that the Chasers are making a point but I cannot say I am a fan of what they do. Still, how else do you get your point across.
As always I see the black and white and GREY…dammit..i wish I could sit on ONE side of the fence and not get caught with a leg on either side..hehehehe
Much Love to you Kathleen xox