House of Representatives Committees

Joint Committee of Public Accounts and Audit

Review of Coastwatch

List of recommendations

Recommendation 1

Coastwatch should undertake a comprehensive campaign to inform the public of its role in protecting Australia's borders. The campaign should be focused on the effectiveness of Coastwatch and how Coastwatch contributes to the outcomes of its client agenices.

Recommendation 2

Customs should use public relations or media liaison officers to manage and promote media reporting of Coastwatch activities.

Recommendation 3

The Government should provide Coastwatch with a charter outlining the Government's expectations. This information should be made publicly available.

Recommendation 4

The practice of seconding a uniformed Australian Defence Force officer to the position of Director General Coastwatch be retained.

Recommendation 5

Coastwatch should be able to access in a timely manner, vessel monitoring system data, therefore:

Commonwealth legislation enabling the automatic monitoring of vessels should be amended to ensure the information passes on to Coastwatch; and the Commonwealth Government should enter into negotiations with State Governments with a view to enabling Coastwatch to have access to vessel monitoring system data.

Recommendation 6

Based on Coastwatch's review of surveillance requirements in the Torres Strait, the Government should consider providing additional resources to increase surveillance coverage of the Torres Strait.

Recommendation 7

Defence, Coastwatch, and Customs with advice from the Australian Fisheries Management Authority should review options for increasing Australia's ability to respond to illegal fishing in northern waters. If warranted, the Government should consider increasing Australia's response capability in northern waters.

Recommendation 8

Defence should investigate, with subsequent advice to the Government, the cost of acquiring and outfitting a vessel to patrol the Southern Ocean and other remote areas, and the feasibility of mounting joint patrols of the Southern Ocean with other countries with an interest in the region.

Recommendation 9

Defence and Coastwatch should continue to analyse the potential threats posed by unauthorised aircraft movements and develop response strategies. Once JORN is fully operational there should be an assessment of the frequency of unauthorised aircraft movements in the Torres Strait and Cape York.

Recommendation 10

Defence and Coastwatch should develop contingency plans for the siting of sensors in the Torres Strait and Cape York to meet any identified unauthorised aircraft movement threat.

Recommendation 11

Customs should promote the use of the Customs Watch free telephone line in remote areas for reporting suspicious aircraft movements and other activities.

Recommendation 12

Customs, in consultation with other agencies, should create links and agreed protocols with law enforcement agencies of Australia's northern neighbours to enable the timely investigation of suspicious aircraft leaving Australian airspace.

Recommendation 13

Customs, with advice from other agencies, should prepare a contingency plan for recommending to Government that the use of transponders on non-commercial aircraft be mandatory in areas where there is a demonstrated problem due to unauthorised air movements.

Recommendation 14

Customs should review existing border legislation to determine whether it adequately allows Customs jurisdiction over UAMs entering and leaving Australia and the ability for Defence personnel, acting on Customs' behalf, to respond to UAM flights. The legislation should be amended if required.

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