Security ramped up at Newcastle airport

BY JESSICA ROUSE

Security has been ramped up at Newcastle Airport and throughout the country, after an alleged terror plot was foiled in Sydney over the weekend.

Australian Federal Police swooped on five properties in Sydney suburbs of Surry Hills, Lakemba, Wiley Park and Punchbowl on Saturday afternoon. Four people, two father and sons, were arrested for allegedly plotting to kill hundreds of people on a plane using a homemade bomb.

A number of items were seized during the search including a meat grinder which is thought to be planned to be used as a part of a bomb.

Travellers were warned overnight security would be stepped up at airports throughout Australia and to allow additional travel time to get through the extra measures.

A spokesperson for Newcastle Airport said they are following authorities instructions and have additional security measures in place at screening points. They say there's no need to arrive hours earlier for flights, but rather just 30 minutes.

It's very important that we continue to live: MacDonald

BY JESSICA ROUSE

In the wake of the second attack to hit Britain in as many weeks, even here in the Hunter we are being told to be aware, particularly if we're travelling.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trading is urging travellers from the Hunter and throughout Australia who are headed to London to keep their travel plans, but listen to any and all advice given to them by officials around the city and avoid the London Bridge.

It comes after three men brought terror to the streets of London when they killed seven people and injured 48 others in a van and knife attack.

It has now been confirmed three Australians were caught up in the horror.

The three men responsible were shot dead by British officers within eight minutes of their attack.

"Many of us have friends or family overseas in places like London. I was talking to people this morning who have sons or daughters who are spending some time over there with work or study or tourism, so we are concerned about it but I think we've got to maintain our way of life, albeit with a fair bit of wariness," said Parliamentary Secretary for the Hunter Scot MacDonald.

There are challenges out there, but he says he's very confident in Australia our police have the intelligence, the networks and the understanding that as Prime Minister Malcom Turnbull and Premier Gladys Berejiklian have said, they can't be everywhere all at the same time and be across every person who comes out of the woodwork.

Scot MacDonald says there's no doubt there are threats and that the threat level is high, but we need to keep on living.

"I think everyone in the community needs to be alert, to think about it, to go about their lives; I think that's very important that we continue to live and work as we should otherwise the people that do want to bring us down win."