Border Security: Australia's Front Line
Encyclopedia
Border Security: Australia's Front Line is an Australian television programme that airs on the Seven Network
. The show follows the work of officers of Australian Customs and Border Protection, the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service
, and the Department of Immigration and Citizenship as they enforce Australian customs, quarantine, immigration and finance laws.
Most of the programme is filmed at Sydney
and Melbourne
airports. Occasionally, the program features other locations such as Brisbane Airport
, Perth Airport
, seaports, international mail centres, raids on workplaces suspected of employing persons contrary to the restrictions of their visa or immigrant status and the work of Customs
vessels and aircraft in the waters of Northern Australia
.
, who stopped appearing on camera in subsequent seasons. However, Bowler appears on the show again in 2010 at the beginning of the show. In all seasons, Bowler provides the voice over for every story. The show has continued to air since then, and airs on Wednesday nights in 2010. It is classified PG. The show was moved to a Sunday Night slot for Season 7 in 2011.
The show premiered on Sunday 6th of February 2011, at 7:30pm time slot. The show continued high ratings.
The show is also broadcast in New Zealand on TVNZ's
TV1, in the United Kingdom on Sky Living, Pick TV, and in Ireland on TV3 (airing as Nothing to Declare in both the UK and Ireland), on Tele 5
in Poland (in Polish), on Veronica in the Netherlands, where it features a Dutch voice-over, on Kanal 9
in Sweden, on JimTV in Finland, on the TV 2
channel in Denmark and also on DMAX
in Germany with German voice-over. It is broadcast as Grensevakten in Norway on TVNorge
. It is also broadcast on the Australian Pay TV channel The LifeStyle Channel
and on the Australia Network
across Asia in countries such as Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand and Macau
.
In 2009 Media Watch suggested that the Department of Immigration and Citizenship used its working relationship with Seven as leverage for an apology to its National Communications Manager, Sandi Logan, who had appeared in an unflattering light on a Today Tonight
report. Media Watchs sources claimed that persons in the Department threatened to cease co-operation with Seven in the production of future Border Security episodes.
Seven Network
The Seven Network is an Australian television network owned by Seven West Media Limited. It dates back to 4 November 1956, when the first stations on the VHF7 frequency were established in Melbourne and Sydney.It is currently the second largest network in the country in terms of population reach...
. The show follows the work of officers of Australian Customs and Border Protection, the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service
Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service
The Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service is the Australian government agency responsible for enforcing Australian quarantine laws...
, and the Department of Immigration and Citizenship as they enforce Australian customs, quarantine, immigration and finance laws.
Most of the programme is filmed at Sydney
Sydney Airport
Sydney Airport may refer to:* Sydney Airport, also known as Kingsford Smith International Airport, in Sydney, Australia* Sydney/J.A. Douglas McCurdy Airport, in Nova Scotia, Canada...
and Melbourne
Melbourne Airport
Melbourne Airport , also known as Tullamarine Airport, is the primary airport serving the city of Melbourne and the second busiest in Australia. It was opened in 1970 to replace the nearby Essendon Airport. Melbourne Airport is the sole international airport of the four airports serving the...
airports. Occasionally, the program features other locations such as Brisbane Airport
Brisbane Airport
Brisbane Airport is the sole passenger airport serving Brisbane and the third busiest in Australia, after Melbourne and Sydney Airports. Brisbane Airport has won many awards. Located in the suburb with the same name, the airport serves the city of Brisbane and the surrounding metropolitan area...
, Perth Airport
Perth Airport
Perth Airport is an Australian domestic and international airport serving Perth, the capital and largest city of Western Australia. The airport itself is located in the suburb of Perth Airport....
, seaports, international mail centres, raids on workplaces suspected of employing persons contrary to the restrictions of their visa or immigrant status and the work of Customs
Customs
Customs is an authority or agency in a country responsible for collecting and safeguarding customs duties and for controlling the flow of goods including animals, transports, personal effects and hazardous items in and out of a country...
vessels and aircraft in the waters of Northern Australia
Northern Australia
The term northern Australia is generally known to include two State and Territories, being Queensland and the Northern Territory . The part of Western Australia north of latitude 26° south—a definition widely used in law and State government policy—is also usually included...
.
Broadcast
The show premiered in Australia in 2004 and became a ratings hit. The first season was hosted by Grant BowlerGrant Bowler
Grant Bowler is a New Zealand actor who has worked in American, Australian and New Zealand films and television.He is known for playing the role of Constable Wayne Patterson in Blue Heelers and also appeared as Wilhelmina Slater's love interest Connor Owens in Ugly Betty.In November 2010, he was...
, who stopped appearing on camera in subsequent seasons. However, Bowler appears on the show again in 2010 at the beginning of the show. In all seasons, Bowler provides the voice over for every story. The show has continued to air since then, and airs on Wednesday nights in 2010. It is classified PG. The show was moved to a Sunday Night slot for Season 7 in 2011.
The show premiered on Sunday 6th of February 2011, at 7:30pm time slot. The show continued high ratings.
The show is also broadcast in New Zealand on TVNZ's
Television New Zealand
Television New Zealand, more commonly referred to, and stylized as TVNZ, is a government-owned corporation television network broadcasting in New Zealand and parts of the Pacific. It operates TV1, TV2, TVNZ7, TVNZ Heartland, TVNZ U and new media services....
TV1, in the United Kingdom on Sky Living, Pick TV, and in Ireland on TV3 (airing as Nothing to Declare in both the UK and Ireland), on Tele 5
Tele 5 (Poland)
Tele5 is Polish commercial television station owned by Polcast Television. It was launched on April 19, 2002, replacing Super 1. At the start, it broadcast only European productions Tele5 is Polish commercial television station owned by Polcast Television. It was launched on April 19, 2002,...
in Poland (in Polish), on Veronica in the Netherlands, where it features a Dutch voice-over, on Kanal 9
Kanal 9
Kanal 9 is a commercial television channel owned by ProSiebenSat.1 Media AG broadcasting to Sweden. It targets the 30-59 age group, which is a slightly older age group than the sister channel Kanal 5. The channel launched on 25 February 2007. Its opening night featured the 79th Academy Awards...
in Sweden, on JimTV in Finland, on the TV 2
TV 2 (Denmark)
TV 2 is a publicly owned television station in Denmark based in Odense. The station began broadcasting on 1 October 1988, thereby ending the television monopoly previously exercised by the Danmarks Radio ....
channel in Denmark and also on DMAX
DMAX (TV channel)
DMAX is a men's lifestyle channel operated by Discovery Networks Deutschland free-to-air in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Though the channel is widely available throughout the rest of Europe...
in Germany with German voice-over. It is broadcast as Grensevakten in Norway on TVNorge
TVNorge
TVNorge is a Norwegian television channel.TVNorge went on the air December 5, 1988 and was the first advertising-supported Norwegian channel. The channel was started with 50 000 NOK...
. It is also broadcast on the Australian Pay TV channel The LifeStyle Channel
The LifeStyle Channel
LifeStyle is an Australian television channel. The channel launched on 1 September 1997. The channel has an emphasis on contemporary lifestyle interests...
and on the Australia Network
Australia Network
Australia Network, originally Australia Television International and later ABC Asia Pacific, is a free-to-air international satellite television service operated by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation since 2006. The television and online service broadcasts 24 hours a day on 7 days a week, to...
across Asia in countries such as Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand and Macau
Macau
Macau , also spelled Macao , is, along with Hong Kong, one of the two special administrative regions of the People's Republic of China...
.
Criticism
Writer Bob Burton in his book Inside Spin: The Dark Underbelly of the PR Industry expressed concern that the television show, by being subject to post-production editing, allows the producers to remove anything that shows any mistakes made by the government agencies concerned. Instead, Burton argues, the show gives the viewing public the sense that the government is effectively and fairly administrating border security policy.In 2009 Media Watch suggested that the Department of Immigration and Citizenship used its working relationship with Seven as leverage for an apology to its National Communications Manager, Sandi Logan, who had appeared in an unflattering light on a Today Tonight
Today Tonight
Today Tonight is a controversial Australian News and Current Affairs program, produced by the Seven Network and shown weeknightly at in direct competition with rival Nine Network program A Current Affair....
report. Media Watchs sources claimed that persons in the Department threatened to cease co-operation with Seven in the production of future Border Security episodes.