Maritime Border Command
Maritime Border Command | |
---|---|
Agency overview | |
Formed | 2005 |
Jurisdictional structure | |
Operations jurisdiction | Australia |
Specialist jurisdiction |
|
Operational structure | |
Agency executive |
|
Parent agency | Australian Border Force |
Website | |
www |
The Maritime Border Command (MBC) is Australia's principal civil maritime security agency, a de facto coast guard, operating in the maritime domain to ensure compliance with Australia's maritime legislation by foreign and domestic non-state actors.[1][2] It is responsible for border protection in the exclusive economic zone of Australia and its 19,650 kilometres of coastline and issues such as illegal fishing and exploitation of natural resources, maritime terrorism and piracy, biosecurity threats, and marine pollution.
It is a multi-agency command within the Department of Home Affairs comprising both Australian Border Force (ABF) and Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel, led by a rear admiral in the Royal Australian Navy. In February 2019, Lee Goddard was promoted to the rank of rear admiral and became the Commander of MBC.[3]
The command was established in 2005 and originally named the Joint Offshore Protection Command. In October 2006 it was renamed to Border Protection Command and was again retitled to its current name in July 2015 to coincide with the establishment of ABF.[4]
Structure
The MBC is a joint unit of the
The ADF elements of MBC are commanded from Northern Command in Darwin, Northern Territory.
The Australian Federal Police supports the MBC and particularly the ABF with criminal investigations, law enforcement and national security matters.
Role
The MBC delivers a coordinated national approach to offshore protection by operating as a single maritime surveillance, response and interception agency.
It detects and deters a wide range of illegal activities using a combination of ABF and ADF aircraft and vessels. ABF response assets include
The MBC is responsible for coordinating and controlling operations to protect Australia's national interests against the following maritime security threats:
- illegal exploitation of natural resources
- illegal activity in protected areas
- unauthorised maritime arrivals
- prohibited imports/exports
- maritime terrorism
- piracy
- compromise to bio-security
- marine pollution.
Commanders
Rank | Name | Term began | Term ended |
---|---|---|---|
Commander Joint Offshore Protection Command | |||
Rear Admiral | Russ Crane CSM | March 2005 | May 2006 |
Rear Admiral | AM, CSC |
May 2006 | October 2006 |
Commander Border Protection Command | |||
Rear Admiral | James Goldrick AM, CSC |
October 2006 | May 2008 |
Rear Admiral | AM |
May 2008 | February 2010 |
Rear Admiral | AM, CSC |
February 2010 | December 2011 |
Rear Admiral | AM |
December 2011 | December 2013 |
Rear Admiral | AM |
December 2013 | 14 January 2016 |
Commander Maritime Border Command | |||
Rear Admiral | Peter Laver AM |
14 January 2016 | January 2019 |
Rear Admiral | Lee Goddard CSC | 28 January 2019 | December 2020 |
Rear Admiral | Mark Hill AM, CSC |
December 2020 | 4 February 2022 |
Rear Admiral | Justin Jones CSC | 4 February 2022 | 10 January 2024 |
Rear Admiral | Brett Sonter | 10 January 2024 |
References
- ^ "Maritime Border Command – Australian Border Force". Department of Immigration and Border Protection. Archived from the original on 20 December 2016. Retrieved 7 December 2016.
- ^ a b "Department of Immigration and Border Protection – Annual Report 2015–16" (PDF). Department of Immigration and Border Protection. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 December 2016. Retrieved 7 December 2016.
- ^ "Maritime Border Command's History – Australian Border Force". Department of Immigration and Border Protection. Retrieved 7 December 2016.
External links
- Border Protection Command
- Rear Admiral Russ Crane Increasing our offshore maritime security