Security at the Australian Open "may be strengthened as the nation’s sporting bodies watch the efficacy of a large security barrier" that will be built around the perimeter of the Melbourne Cricket Ground, according to Greg Brown of THE AUSTRALIAN. The Melbourne Cricket Club confirmed that it would build a 1.8m high fence around the MCG "as the threat of a terror attack on Australian soil remains likely." The fence will act as a "security checkpoint, where fans will be screened at entry tents before they are admitted into the precinct." The move is expected to be followed by a number of sporting events "in light of rising expectations of a terror attack," with Tennis Australia understood to be reviewing its security arrangements for the Australian Open, which attracts up to 700,000 people. A TA spokesperson "would not comment on security." She said, "Tennis Australia works with Melbourne and Olympic Park, venue security operators and Victoria Police to ensure the Australian Open is a safe, family-friendly event. As at all major events, a strong security presence is in place." A spokesperson for the Sydney Cricket Ground, which will hold the new year’s cricket Test, said that it had an "ongoing consultation with police." Victoria Police Assistant Commissioner Stephen Leane said that "a potential terror threat over a major sporting event" was an "ugly" thought. Leane: "But it's a reality." He added that there may be "more stadiums to follow suit and boost security." The fence will be the "biggest security upgrade" at the MCG since the Commonwealth Games in '06. The move comes five weeks after the Paris terror attacks in which 130 civilians were killed by representatives of Islamic State (THE AUSTRALIAN, 12/18).
