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, investigations, compliance, immigration detention and customs enforcement in Australia. The agency is also responsible for security screening at international ports of entry, including airports and seaports. Through the Marine Unit, the ABF performs coast guard and maritime law enforcement duties and is a component of the Maritime Border Command. The ABF forms part of the larger National Intelligence Community and is an active member of the World Customs Organization.
The ABF was formed under the Australian Border Force Act 2015 with broadened legislative powers, including the introduction of sworn officers. A new uniform was introduced, and following the transition, there was an increase in the number of officers authorised to carry firearms. As of 2016, approximately 15% of the Force is firearms trained, which will increase by 2020 to no less than 25%.
History
1901–1985 – Customs
The origins of the Australian Border Force are traced back to the Federation of Australia on 1 January 1901, when the Department of Trade and Customs was formed as one of the first seven Commonwealth Departments of State. On 4 July 1901, the Honorable Charles Kingston announced that Dr. Harry Wollaston would be appointed the first Comptroller-General of Commonwealth Customs. The Customs Act 1901 received royal assent on 4 October 1901 as the sixth Act of Federation, giving Customs legal powers to enforce tariffs, duties and excise.
The 1950s saw large changes to Customs, primarily in the creation of preventative officers; uniformed personnel charged with examining the baggage of incoming passengers, searching vessels, and deterring the importation of contraband into Australia. In 1957, Customs employed its first woman, Athena Antonopoulou, as an interpreter. She was credited with creating the first female uniform, as one did not exist prior. In 1969, Customs expanded its staffing to include detector dogs, to assist in sniffing out illicit substances following similar successes overseas. In December 1969, the Federal Bureau of Narcotics was established within Customs as part of responsibilities transferred by then-prime minister John Gorton to the department. The Bureau conducted operations against illegal drug trafficking, fraud, and smuggling activities. The introduction of this bureau saw Customs acquire broad powers in relation to drug control in a law enforcement capacity, and marked a change from the previous operations of the service.
In 1972, Customs introduced the world's first computerised entry system, the Integrated National System for Processing Entries from Customs Terminals (INSPECT). Before its introduction, all customs entries were processed manually, marking a significant improvement in customs procedures. Similarly, in August 1974 Customs introduced the Passenger Automatic Selection System (PASS), as a standard method of alert-list checking at the airport, replacing cumbersome and time-consuming Teledex machines for sourcing passenger information. In 1975, Customs was briefly merged with the Commonwealth Police, Northern Territory Police and ACT Police to form the Australia Police (the failed precursor to the Australian Federal Police and part of the Department of Police and Customs) by the Whitlam government. After six months of operations, following the 1975 Australian constitutional crisis, the department was dismantled, the Australia Police disbanded, and the Bureau of Customs was transferred to the Department of Business and Consumer Affairs.
In 1976 Customs introduced the Customs On-Line Method of Preparing for Invoices Lodgeable Entries (COMPILE) system. The system allowed agents and importers to use visual display units and printers in their offices to connect to departmental systems. The system was so successful it was only decommissioned in 2006, with the introduction of the Integrated Cargo System (ICS). On 6 November 1980, at the recommendation of the Williams Royal Commission, the Australian Narcotics Bureau was disbanded by the Fraser government. The government re-purposed Customs as the agency responsible for enforcing federal laws relating to importation of drugs at the border. The Australian Federal Police assumed responsibility for drug enforcement operations onshore. In 1982 the Bureau of Customs was transferred to the portfolio of the Department of Industry, Technology and Commerce and formally became the Australian Customs Service.
1985–2009 – Australian Customs Service
On 10 June 1985, the Government of Australia formally established the Australian Customs Service (ACS) as an independent agency of the Australian Public Service within the portfolio of the Minister for Industry, Technology and Commerce. The statutory office of Comptroller-General of Customs, responsible for administering the ACS, was also established on that date. The Australian Customs Service formally commenced operations on 1 July 1985.
In August 1988, the Australian Coastal Surveillance Organisation became Coastwatch and was transferred to the Australian Customs Service. The organisation assumed the role of coordinating all civil maritime surveillance on behalf of the Australian government. In October 1998, the Australian Customs Service was transferred to the portfolio of the Attorney-General's Department. That same month, machinery of government changes removed the administration of excise duties from Customs and transferred them to the Australian Taxation Office, with 248 staff transferred by July 1999 and the end of a 98-year history of collecting excise duties on manufactured alcohol, tobacco and petroleum products. In 1999, the Australian Customs Service conducted its first support role for United Nations in assisting to establish border control in East Timor, following the 1999 East Timorese crisis.
In January 2001, the Australian Customs Service celebrated 100 years of service with the Centenary of Federation.
Border Protection Command (BPC) was established in 2005 as the leader and coordinator of Australian maritime security operations. It brought together elements of the Australian Defence Force, Australian Fisheries Management Authority, Australian Maritime Safety Authority, and the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. As part of the introduction of BPC, the Australian Customs Service and Royal Australian Navy take the lead on commanding and controlling Operation Resolute.
In December 2008, then Prime Minister Kevin Rudd announced that the Australian Government would be augmenting, re-tasking and renaming the Australian Customs Service to create the new Australian Customs and Border Protection Service. Royal assent was given to the changes on 22 May 2009 and the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service was established thereafter, remaining within the Attorney General's Department.
2009–2015 – Australian Customs and Border Protection Service
Operation Sovereign Borders was announced in September 2013 by Minister for Immigration and Border Protection Scott Morrison and Lieutenant General Angus Campbell as a Joint Agency Task Force to bring together 16 different agencies to coordinate the whole-of-government response to illegal maritime arrivals. The Australian Customs and Border Protection Service is then formally moved from the Attorney General's Department to the newly formed Department of Immigration and Border Protection.
In May 2014, Morrison announced large changes to the border protection arrangements within Australia, through the consolidation of all frontline immigration and customs functions in a single organisation, the Australian Border Force. As a result, Regional Commands are established across Australia to provide local Command and Control functions. Each Regional Command became responsible for the deployment of Border Force Officers in specified geographic areas to achieve strategic outcomes. The Australian Border Force was formally established on 1 July 2015. The new agency to be based on the hybrid of the United Kingdom Border Force model.
2015–present – Australian Border Force
The ABF was established on 1 July 2015, merging the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service with the immigration detention and compliance functions of the then Department of Immigration and Border Protection.
Organisation
Commissioners The Commissioner of the Australian Border Force serves concurrently as the Comptroller-General of Customs.
Rank Name Post-nominals Term began Term endedCommissioner Commissioner Commissioner Incumbent
Structure
As of 2022, the Australian Border Force has 5,968 staff spread across 70 locations. ABF is divided into 2 administrative groups overseen by senior ABF or APS employees and 2 operational groups each led by an ABF Deputy Commissioner.
Commissioner of the Australian Border Force and Comptroller-General of Customs Chief of Staff Customs Group (Deputy Comptroller-General of Customs) Customs and Trade Policy (Assistant Secretary) Trusted Trader and Trade Compliance (Assistant Secretary) Special Investigations (Commander) Ministerial, Governance, Risk and Assurance (Chief Superintendent) Industry and Border Systems Group Customs and Border Modernisation (Assistant Secretary) Traveller Policy and Industry Engagement (Assistant Secretary) Border Systems and Program Management (Commander) Strategic Coordination (Assistant Secretary) Industry and Border Systems Program Coordination (Senior Director) South, East and Workforce (Deputy Commissioner) South (Assistant Commissioner) Aviation and Regional Operations South (Commander) Maritime and Enforcement South (Commander) Operations South Australia (Chief Superintendent) East (Assistant Commissioner) Trade and Travel East (Commander) Enforcement and Detained Goods East (Commander) ABF Workforce (Assistant Commissioner) Operational Readiness (Commander) Workforce Management (Commander) ABF College (Commander) Workforce Capability (Commander) North, West and Detention (Deputy Commissioner) North and Detention (Assistant Commissioner) Operations Queensland (Commander) Operations North (Commander) National Detention Operations (Commander) Detention Governance, Strategy and Standards (Chief Superintendent) Detention Contract Management (Senior Director) National Removals (Chief Superintendent) Operation Sovereign Borders (OSB JATF) (RAN Rear Admiral) Chief of Operations (ADF Senior Officer) Deputy Commander OSB JATF Maritime Border Command (MBC) (Commander) Deputy Commander MBC West and Close Support Command (Assistant Commissioner) Operations West (Commander) Air and Marine Capability (Commander) Marine Workforce Capability (Commander) Operational Coordination and Planning (Assistant Commissioner) Tactical Capability (Commander) Australian Border Operations Centre (Commander) International Operations and Coordination (Commander) National Planning and Targeting (Commander)
Marine Unit
ABF maintains a fleet of ships and several coastal patrol vessels which act as a Coast Guard. The majority of ABF's vessels are assigned to Maritime Border Command and operate alongside the Royal Australian Navy (RAN)'s patrol boat group. ABF vessels are staffed by Marine Tactical Officers (MTO), Engineers, Technical Officers, and other specialists who receive extra training in seamanship, navigation, and boarding operations. ABF Ships are prefixed with Australian Border Force Cutter (ABFC).
Counter Terrorism Unit