The Australian Coastal Surveillance Organisation, also known as Coastwatch, was an operational division of the
Australian Customs Service
The Australian Customs Service was an 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 Industry, Technology and Comme ...
and the de facto Australian
coast guard service. 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 acto ...
, 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
Surveillance Australia Pty Ltd (formerly ''Cobham Aviation Services Australia - Special Mission'') is an Australian aviation company. It is primarily engaged in servicing the Australian Border Force Coastwatch contract, flying surveillance patrol ...
*
Border Protection Command
*
Australian Customs Service
The Australian Customs Service was an 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 Industry, Technology and Comme ...
*
Coastwatch Oz
''Coastwatch Oz'' is an Australian factual television series screened on the Seven Network That Premiered on 30 January 2014.
About the show
The show follows the work of officers of Water police
Water police, also called harbor patrols, ...
*
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
Customs services