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Output 3

Civil maritime surveillance and response

This output covers the provision of air and marine-based civil maritime surveillance and response services to a number of Government agencies. The aim of the output is to detect, report and respond to potential or actual non-compliance with relevant laws within the 200 nautical mile Australian Exclusive Economic Zone (AEEZ), including Australia’s offshore regions.

Specific surveillance and response operations related to prohibited imports or illegal people movements are covered under outputs 1 and 2.

In March 2001 output 3 was amended from ‘Coastal and offshore surveillance and response’ to ‘Civil maritime surveillance and response’ to better reflect the services delivered by Customs and to distinguish these from similar services provided by the Australian Defence Force.

The activities undertaken within output 3 are determined by the surveillance and response needs of various government agencies. The Coastwatch National Surveillance Centre coordinates planning for surveillance and response operations. In most cases, Customs Coastwatch regional bases in Cairns, Thursday Island, Darwin and Broome implement the nationally developed plan. The National Surveillance Centre controls operations that cross regional boundaries or, due to their complexity, require national supervision. A combination of contracted aircraft, Australian Defence Force patrol boats and aircraft and the sea-going vessels of Customs are used.

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Performance measures

Figure 18: Performance against targets set in the 2000-01 PBS – output 3

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Performance assessment

Funding

The total price of the output ($174.291 million) includes resources received free of charge from the Australian Defence Force - $131.775 million for Fremantle-class patrol boats and P3C Orion flights.

The remaining expenditure ($42.516 million) is made up of:

• aerial surveillance contract costs
• Customs Coastwatch operating expenses
• Customs Coastwatch share of distributed costs for strategic intelligence and technical support
• Customs marine activity (the Customs marine activity dedicated to civil maritime surveillance and response for Customs Coastwatch clients represents 33 per cent of the National Marine Unit output pricing).

Illegal entrants

Customs Coastwatch provides high-level support to the Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs (DIMA) in monitoring suspect illegal entrant vessel (SIEV) activity. During 2000-01 there were 4118 suspect unlawful non-citizens (SUNCs) and 176 crew from 53 SIEVs detained. This was slightly smaller than the number of boats and people attempting illegal entry into Australia in 1999-2000.

Figure 19: Summary of suspect illegal entrant vessels (SIEVs) and suspect unlawful non-citizens (SUNCs) arriving by sea

The overall detection rate for SIEVs increased in 2000-01; only two boats reached mainland Australia before detection. One undetected vessel landed 32 SUNCs in Admiralty Gulf in the Kimberley region of Western Australia on 21 December 2000. A second vessel landed 24 SUNCs on the Western Australian coast near Exmouth on 18 April 2001. Although the vessel initially evaded detection, it was located on its outward journey and subsequently apprehended at Cocos Island. Of 4118 SUNCs attempting illegal entry, all but 56 were apprehended before reaching mainland Australia – a 98.6 per cent detection rate.

In July 2000 a licensed foreign fishing vessel – the Wing Sang 108 – after inital detection by Customs Coastwatch, arrived in Cairns. The vessel was later found to be engaged in illegal people smuggling. It carried 23 SUNCs to Australia, who left the vessel following completion of falsified Customs clearance procedures. Customs and Australian Federal Police officers subsequently detained the SUNCs and the vessel.

Capability enhancements

The acquisition of eight Bay-class Australian Customs vessels (ACVs) was completed in August 2000 with the delivery of the final three vessels – ACV Dame Roma Mitchell, ACV Storm Bay and ACV Arnhem Bay. The vessels were completed on schedule and within budget.

To improve early detection and processing of SUNCs, ACV Wauri was stationed at Ashmore Islands virtually full-time since May 2000. This improved both early warning and on-scene control of SIEV arrivals. However, because of its age and increasing unreliability, plans are under way to replace ACV Wauri at Ashmore Islands with one of the newer Bay-class vessels. The replacement vessel would continue to undertake the environmental work currently conducted by ACV Wauri on behalf of Environment Australia.

The commercially operated MV Samson Explorer was chartered by Customs, its staff operating the vessel as agents of DIMA. The vessel transports SUNCs from their point of interception to the Australian mainland. Since its introduction in September 2000the Samson Explorer significantly eased pressure on Bay-class ACVs and Royal Australian Navy Fremantle-class patrol boats, allowing these vessels to undertake more appropriate surveillance and response taskings. Further information on the Samson Explorer is available under output 2.

In early 2001 the Customs National Marine Unit assumed responsibility for providing the majority of staff on the MV Samson Explorer. These escort duties, when combined with supplying crew for ACV Wauri at Ashmore Islands and undertaking routine operations, placed considerable crewing pressures on the Customs National Marine Unit. As a result, 1038 of the targeted 1125 Bay-class sea days were achieved.

The availability of seagoing crew was also influenced by an increased training commitment by Customs. Customs recruited a large number of new marine crew members during 2000-01, with training needed on both core maritime and Customs-specific skills. In particular, all seagoing staff were trained and accredited to carry arms and other personal protective equipment. Such accreditation requires annual re-certification.

Crew flexibility and risk-management measures, including absolute minimum crewing levels on the majority of patrols, enabled a substantial number of patrols to be completed. However, Customs was unable to complete all requested strategic taskings.

Illegal fishing

In consultation with the Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA), the Australian Defence Force and other interested agencies, Customs Coastwatch continued efforts to reduce illegal fishing throughout Australian waters, including the Southern Oceans. Despite an increased and high-profile focus on illegal entrant activity and intensive support for a number of major narcotics operations, significant support was provided to AFMA in managing Australia’s fish stocks. Customs Coastwatch coordinated the interception of 89 foreign fishing vessels, resulting in the apprehension of 60 vessels and 436 crew members. Equipment and catch were seized from the remaining 29 vessels.

Helicopters in the Torres Strait

Customs Coastwatch has two helicopters – a single-engine Bell 206 and a twin-engine Bell 412 EP – in the Torres Strait. The helicopters provide valuable response capability, especially when used in integrated operations with radar-equipped fixed-wing aircraft. Helicopter operations in the Torres Strait increased during 2000-01, with an extra 250 flying hours for the Bell 206. The target tracking and in-flight imagery of the Bell 412 EP was improved by installing an autotracker system to the helicopter’s forward looking infrared system.

Prime Minister’s Task Force on Coastal Surveillance

Implementation of the 1999 Prime Minister’s Task Force on Coastal Surveillance recommendations was completed in 2000-01. The Task Force made 18 recommendations and the Government agreed to a $124 million, four-year program to strengthen Australia’s capacity to detect and deter illegal arrivals. Two new Dash 8 aircraft were commissioned on 19 December 2000. This brought the number of Dash 8s in the fleet to five. This increased capacity significantly improved surveillance coverage along the eastern, northern and western approaches to mainland Australia. The detection rate of boats attempting to illegally enter Australia has steadily increased.

Efforts to increase surveillance coverage to the new levels directed by the Task Force were adversely impacted by a number of factors. In particular, there was a worldwide surge in airline demand for Dash 8 sized aircraft. This surge contributed to a shortage of pilots and caused a delay in the recruitment program of Surveillance Australia, the fixed-wing aerial surveillance contractor. This delay caused an under-fly by 9 per cent, or 1595 hours, for the planned aerial surveillance program.

Australian National Audit Office (ANAO) inquiry into Coastwatch

On 6 April 2000 the ANAO tabled Audit Report No. 38 into Coastwatch. The report made suggestions for further improving efficiency. Fifteen recommendations were made, all of which were agreed to by Customs, three with qualification. These recommendations have largely been implemented. In 2000-01 Customs continued work to implement the recommendations, with progress summarised below.

• In conjunction with the Australian Defence Force Headquarters Northern Command, agreed standard operating procedures were established to deal with unidentified aircraft movements into Australia.
• New service level agreements were established with DIMA and the Australian Federal Police. New or updated memorandums of understanding and service level agreements were in the process of being negotiated with the following departments and agencies:
  • Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
  • Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service
  • Australian Fisheries Management Authority
  • Environment Australia
  • Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority
  • Queensland Department of Transport
  • Australian Maritime Safety Authority.
• The Coastwatch risk-management process continued to be consolidated and refined.
• The transmission of imagery to clients was improved.
• Access to advanced intelligence analysis systems and sources was obtained.
• Competency-based training packages for operations staff were developed (due for delivery in August 2001).

Joint Committee of Public Accounts and Audit (JCPAA) inquiry into Coastwatch

In April 2000 the JCPAA announced its intention to conduct a review of Coastwatch. The terms of reference for the inquiry addressed a wide range of issues, including the role and functions of Coastwatch, resource allocation, technology, legislation and any other issue raised in the ANAO inquiry into Coastwatch.

Customs provided a submission to the JCPAA on 9 June 2000. It also provided the Committee with an overview briefing on 30 June 2000 and a full technical briefing on future concepts on 17 August 2000. In September 2000 the Committee toured three of the four regional Coastwatch bases and experienced surveillance operations first hand, including the detection and monitoring of a SIEV off the northwest coast.

The Committee toured the National Surveillance Centre twice and Customs staff attended all five public hearings held by the Committee in Canberra (three hearings), Brisbane and Melbourne. The Committee’s final hearing was held in Canberra on 30 January 2001. The final report was expected in August 2001.

Replacement of the Coastwatch information technology system

The Coastwatch Command Support System (CWCSS), due for completion in June 2002, will be a comprehensive information management system. It will integrate operational planning and logistical support aspects into a common secure system.

In March 2001 Customs contracted an Australian IT company to deliver CWCSS. The contractor is using existing off-the-shelf flight and surveillance management products, developed in Australia and Canada, to minimise the delays often associated with new software solutions. Some additional software development will be undertaken in order to integrate existing products and provide Customs Coastwatch and its clients with web-based access to surveillance data and reporting.

When the CWCSS is commissioned, Customs Coastwatch will deliver an enhanced product to its client agencies, increasing the level and ease of communication with surveillance contractors, and providing a high level of automation for business functions.

Regional activity

The exchange of operational information and associated liaison continued to improve between Customs and its counterparts in New Caledonia, Papua New Guinea, the United States and New Zealand. Significant deployments of Customs Coastwatch aircraft to Papua New Guinea, Noumea and New Zealand were undertaken. New Caledonia conducted a reciprocal aircraft visit to Cairns in November 2000, while New Zealand sent a number of high-level delegations to Canberra to examine the structure and procedures of Customs Coastwatch. In particular, New Zealand noted that the Customs Coastwatch model might be a useful one on which to further develop its own maritime surveillance and response program.

In 2000-01 ACV Storm Bay was deployed to New Zealand to operate in close cooperation with New Zealand Customs and various government agencies. The two-month deployment was a valuable learning exercise for both services and provided opportunities to strengthen operational relationships.

Looking forward

The aerial surveillance contracts, which expire in 2004-05, are based on a service being provided using piloted aircraft fitted with a mix of visual, radar and electro-optical sensor systems. Customs is investigating emerging technologies and their usefulness to the civil surveillance program.

Customs Coastwatch was closely involved in the planning of the Defence-sponsored trials of the United States Global Hawk unmanned aerial vehicle conducted in Australia during April-June 2001, providing the trial authority with specific civil maritime surveillance tasks. Customs is examining the usefulness of Global Hawkand other new and emerging technologies to civil maritime surveillance, ranging from small unmanned aerial vehicles to space-based systems. The results of this examination will inform the future concept of operations beyond 2004-05.

Alternative technologies also being investigated include:

• airships and aerostats
• high frequency surface wave radar
• acoustic sensors.

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