Border Protection Command (Australia)
Encyclopedia
The Australian Government's Border Protection Command (BPC) is a multi-agency command which was established in 2005 to coordinate the protection of Australia
’s offshore assets. The command was originally named Joint Offshore Protection Command but was renamed in October 2006.
The Command is constituted by elements of the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service and the Australian Defence Force
(ADF), and is headquartered in Canberra
.
The BPC 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 Customs and Defence aircraft and vessels. Customs response assets include Coastwatch
aircraft and National Marine Unit
patrol vessels. Its activities take place under a variety of legislation covering areas such as customs, fisheries, quarantine, immigration, environment and law enforcement.
The ADF elements of BPC are commanded from Northern Command in Darwin, Northern Territory
.
The Command is responsible for coordinating and controlling operations to protect Australia's national interests against the following maritime security threats:
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
’s offshore assets. The command was originally named Joint Offshore Protection Command but was renamed in October 2006.
The Command is constituted by elements of the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service and the Australian Defence Force
Australian Defence Force
The Australian Defence Force is the military organisation responsible for the defence of Australia. It consists of the Royal Australian Navy , Australian Army, Royal Australian Air Force and a number of 'tri-service' units...
(ADF), and is headquartered in Canberra
Canberra
Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
.
The BPC 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 Customs and Defence aircraft and vessels. Customs response assets include Coastwatch
Australian Coastwatch
Coastwatch was a Division of the Australian Customs Service, which is an agency of the Australian Federal Government, with its headquarters based in Canberra, Australia...
aircraft and National Marine Unit
Australian Customs Service National Marine Unit
The Customs Marine Unit , formerly the Australian Customs Service National Marine Unit, is a division of the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service...
patrol vessels. Its activities take place under a variety of legislation covering areas such as customs, fisheries, quarantine, immigration, environment and law enforcement.
The ADF elements of BPC are commanded from Northern Command in Darwin, Northern Territory
Darwin, Northern Territory
Darwin is the capital city of the Northern Territory, Australia. Situated on the Timor Sea, Darwin has a population of 127,500, making it by far the largest and most populated city in the sparsely populated Northern Territory, but the least populous of all Australia's capital cities...
.
The Command 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.