The Australian Coastal Surveillance Organisation, also known as Coastwatch, was an operational division of the
Australian Customs Service
The Australian Customs Service was an Government of Australia, Australian Government agency responsible for Australian border protection, duties and taxes between 1985 and 2009. The Service was first under the portfolio of the Department of Indus ...
and the de facto Australian
coast guard service
The coast, also known as the coastline or seashore, is defined as the area where land meets the ocean, or as a line that forms the boundary between the land and the coastline. The Earth has around of coastline. Coasts are important zones in n ...
. The former Coastwatch Division is now part of the
Australian Border Force
The Australian Border Force (ABF) is a federal law enforcement agency, part of the Department of Home Affairs, responsible for offshore and onshore border control enforcement, investigations, compliance and detention operations in Australia. Thr ...
Maritime Border Command
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 actor ...
, a joint civil/military organisation responsible for civil maritime security.
Border Protection Command
Dash 8
The De Havilland Canada DHC-8, commonly known as the Dash 8, is a series of turboprop-powered regional airliners, introduced by de Havilland Canada (DHC) in 1984. DHC was later bought by Boeing in 1988, then by Bombardier in 1992; then by ...
aircraft are referred to by their civil call sign "Border Force XX" and are operated by Cobham Aviation Services on behalf of the Australian Border Force. These aircraft carry out civil maritime surveillance service to help protect Australia's borders. The fleet of specialised fixed-wing patrol aircraft and helicopters undertake electronic and visual surveillance of Australia's coastline and offshore maritime areas.
See also
*
Surveillance Australia
*
Border Protection Command
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 actor ...
*
Australian Customs Service
The Australian Customs Service was an Government of Australia, Australian Government agency responsible for Australian border protection, duties and taxes between 1985 and 2009. The Service was first under the portfolio of the Department of Indus ...
*
Coastwatch Oz
*
Tampa affair
In late August 2001, the Howard Government of Australia refused permission for the Norwegian freighter MV ''Tampa'', carrying 433 rescued refugees (predominantly Hazaras of Afghanistan from a distressed fishing vessel in international water ...
References
Border Protection Command – Aircraft* Perry, Donna. (1998) ''Guarding the north's vast remote coastline is a full-time occupation''. Broome advertiser, 14 October 1998, p.34-35
Further reading
* Australia. Parliament.
Australian National Audit Office
The Australian National Audit Office (ANAO) is the supreme audit institution of Australia, functioning as the national auditor for the Parliament of Australia and Government of Australia. It reports directly to the Australian Parliament via the ...
.(2000) ''Coastwatch Australian Customs Service'' The Auditor-General audit report, no.38, 1999-2000. ISSN 1036-7632 {{ISBN, 0-642-44242-8
External links
Australian Customs Service
Coastwatch
The Australian Coastal Surveillance Organisation, also known as Coastwatch, was an operational division of the Australian Customs Service and the de facto Australian coast guard service. The former Coastwatch Division is now part of the Austr ...
Customs services