Dechaineux is responsible for most operational aspects of running Port Macquarie Airport, including security strategy and implementation. Port Macquarie's terminal can handle 200 passengers an hour, operates five Qantas flights to Sydney each day, and two flights a day to Brisbane.

Security was upgraded when the federal government introduced a new act of parliament in the wake of 9/11, called the Aviation Transport Security Act.

The contents of that Act made it quite clear that airport operators were required to have what they called a "transport security program", which is a document that sets out what needs to be done to manage security at the airport.

Port Macquarie Airport conducted a risk assessment which made it clear that introducing video surveillance was crucial to improving the facility's overall security.

After initially investigating older, cheaper closed-circuit television (CCTV) options, but found it was 10 years old and used analog equipment. "Footage was still recorded on videos, so the technology might as well have come off the Ark. I wasn't prepared to go down that path; it wouldn't be long before we had to rip it out and replace it," he said.