AUSTRALIA’S BORDER PROTECTION COMMAND

Interagency and Civil – Military Cooperation

CMDR Andrew Burnett RAN

Command Legal Officer, Border Protection Command

What are we?

BPC is an Australian Government multiagency operational authority staffed by:

Military

• Australian Defence Force (JTF 639)

Civilian

• Australian Customs and Border Protection Service

• Australian Fisheries Management Authority

• Australian Quarantine Inspection Service

• Augmentees from other Agencies when required

Mission

In concert with other government

agencies and stakeholders, BPC

protects Australia’s national

interests by maintaining good order

at sea in Australia’s Maritime

Domain.

Other Government

Agencies

• Interact with many Government agencies

• Predominantly:

– Australian Fisheries Management Agency

– Department of Immigration and Comminities

– Bio-security

– Australian Federal Police

– Commonwealth Director of Public

Prosecutions

What we are not

• BPC does not :

– Provide Port/airspace security response

– Coordinate Search and rescue

– Control Airspace

– Deal with State-based or military threats

– Process passengers and cargo

• BPC is not a regulatory authority and has no

responsibility for

– Maritime security/safety regulation

– Aviation security regulation

Commander BPC/CJTF639

RADM David Johnston

Structure

Operational Effect – One Command

CEO

Customs and Border Protection Service

Mr Michael Carmody

DCEO

Maritime, Corporate and Intelligence

Mr Mike Pezzullo

Chief of the Defence Force

GEN David Hurley

Chief of Joint Operations

LTGEN Ash Power

Deputy Commander JTF639

AIRCDRE Ken Watson

HQ Joint Task Force 639

Darwin

Assigned Defence Assets

Minister For Home Affairs

The Hon Jason Clare MP

Minister for Defence

The Hon Stephen Smith MP

Deputy Commander BPC

Ms Kaylene Zakharoff

Border Protection Command

Intelligence Centre (BPC IC) Operations:

Australian Maritime Security

Operations Centre (AMSOC) Operational

Planning

Strategy, Engagement

&

Counterterrorism Assigned Customs Assets

Governance and

Command Support

1968 - 1975 None (SIDC)

1975 - 1985 Department

of Transport

1988 - 2010 Customs

Year Lead Agency Events

1985 - 1988 Australian

Federal Police

1968: 12 nautical mile (nm) fishing zone declared

1973: Standing Inter-Departmental Committee (SIDC) est.

1974: MOU with Indonesia – Ashmore Island.

1975: RAN – Operation Trochus using Grumman Trackers.

1977: First wave of Vietnamese “boat people”.

1978: Government announces intent to declare EEZ.

1979: Australia declares 200 nm Australian Fishing Zone.

RAN and Customs patrol boats deployed to North and West.

1985: Coastal Protection Unit and Coastal Aerial Surveillance Unit,

which becomes Coastwatch.

1988: ‘The Northern Approaches Report’ - basis for future civil

surveillance activity.

1994: Australia declares 200 nm Exclusive Economic Zone

1999: ‘Coastal Surveillance Task Force Review’ – one outcome is the

head of Coastwatch to be a seconded senior Defence officer.

2004: ‘The Tonkin Report’ - Australian Maritime Identification System

(AMIS), new maritime security governance arrangements

2005: Coastwatch becomes Joint Offshore Protection Command

(JOPC).

‘Review of Fisheries and Maritime Enforcement’ – expansion of

JOPC responsibilities to include control and coordination of all

operational response to maritime security threats.

2006: JOPC re-named Border Protection Command (BPC)

Our history has shaped

who we are

Marine Pollution

Maritime Terrorism

•High Vast distances

•sea states

•No infrastructure

Compromise to Bio-

security

Irregular Maritime

Arrivals

Illegal Exploitation of

Natural Resources

Piracy, Robbery or

Violence at Sea

Prohibited Imports and

Exports

Illegal Activity in

Protected Areas

Maritime Security

Programs

Awareness Assets

Response

Assets NAVY Armidale Class

ACV Ashmore Guardian ACV Triton

CUSTOMS Bay Class

ACV Ocean Protector

Lines of

Operation AWARENESS

PREVENTION

RESPONSE