Broken airport gate a security risk

A broken security gate has left Sydney Airport vulnerable to intruders for months, a security expert says.

“Any hostile actor or planned terrorist can certainly enter through that security gate and access the tarmac,” security expert and former police officer Craig Sheridan told 9News.

“We know Qantas and the airport have extensive CCTV and a really good layered security approach so it’s obviously an area that is vulnerable and needs to be addressed.”

The exit gate at the Qantas freight terminal at the end of a public road broke six months ago.

While it remains broken, it offers a direct route through open roller doors behind it to the runway where there are dozens of cargo aircraft loading and unloading.

The Transport Workers Union has been calling for the gate to be fixed.

“There are many gaps in security and they are simply not being addressed,” union spokesman Michael Kaine told 9News.

But Qantas told 9News the broken gate “does not represent a significant risk” to security at Sydney Airport.

The airline said the gate had been locked at night and would be repaired this week.