Australia needs a coast guard
June 6, 2008 - 4:48PM
Australia needs a dedicated coast guard to protect its borders, a strategic policy think tank has recommended.
The Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) says the current Border Protection Command (BPC), which coordinates Australia's maritime security, should be turned into a statutory authority.
The authority of the BPC rests on directives issued by the chief executive of the Australian Customs Service and the head of the Australian Defence Force.
"There appears to be no necessary reason why enforcement of Australian law on water should vary significantly from enforcement on land and should not be the responsibility of a dedicated agency," the report says.
"To achieve the goal of a dedicated agency and to ensure that Australia's maritime security arrangements retain the capacity to deal with current threats and adjust to future developments, BPC should be established as a statutory authority by legislation."
The new body should be directly responsible to an appropriate government minister for intelligence collation and assessment, for operational planning and implementation and for future capability development, the report says.
"It would be well suited to answer questions that do not easily fit the present portfolio structure, such as how to engage the growing coast guard activity in South-East Asia or consider the roles and responsibilities of civil maritime security forces in time of military tension or conflict."
Report author Derek Woolner said Australia was one of the top maritime nations in the world.
"It is time that we acknowledged this with arrangements allowing us to control events that happen in our own maritime backyard," he said.
In opposition, Labor pressed for the establishment of a coast guard but has made no moves to establish one since winning government.
http://news.smh.com.au/national/australia-needs-a-coast-guard-report-20080606-2mrv.html
