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Maritime Border Command
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<h2 id="structure">Structure</h2> <p>The MBC is a joint unit of the <a href="/facts/Australian_Defence_Force/zLR4MLc2">Australian Defence Force</a> (the <a href="/facts/Royal_Australian_Navy/AkYhdo4B">Royal Australian Navy</a> <a href="/facts/Australian_Patrol_Boat_Group/CaacvY2Y">Patrol Force</a> and the <a href="/facts/Royal_Australian_Air_Force/kkCS5X4E">Royal Australian Air Force</a> <a href="/facts/Surveillance_and_Response_Group_RAAF/5GTPjXu6">Surveillance and Response Group</a>) and the <a href="/facts/Australian_Border_Force/B02paEL4">Australian Border Force</a> (<a href="/facts/Marine_Unit_(Australian_Border_Force)/g9CaRK6H">Marine Unit</a> and <a href="/facts/Coastwatch/NFJR3INj">Coastwatch</a> aircraft). Its headquarters are in <a href="/facts/Canberra/V2PldFRs">Canberra</a> and is part of the Operations Group of the ABF.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:6" href="#fn:6"><sup>6</sup></a> The ABF is part of the <a href="/facts/Australian_Department_of_Home_Affairs/1H6Y2u36">Australian Department of Home Affairs</a>. Since September 2013, the MBC has supported the <a href="/facts/Operation_Sovereign_Borders/ISojBVXL">Operation Sovereign Borders</a> Joint Agency Taskforce. </p><p>The ADF elements of MBC are commanded from <a href="/facts/Northern_Command_(Australia)/TQb75M4m">Northern Command</a> in <a href="/facts/Darwin%2c_Northern_Territory/d9fEmGNV">Darwin, Northern Territory</a>. </p><p>The <a href="/facts/Australian_Federal_Police/HtKGHkW6">Australian Federal Police</a> supports the MBC and particularly the ABF with criminal investigations, law enforcement and <a href="/facts/National_security/DlmpehRa">national security</a> matters. </p> <h2 id="role">Role</h2> <p>The MBC delivers a coordinated national approach to offshore protection by operating as a single maritime surveillance, response and interception agency. </p><p>It detects and deters a wide range of illegal activities using a combination of ABF and ADF aircraft and vessels. ABF response assets include <a href="/facts/Australian_Coastwatch/NFJR3INj">Coastwatch</a> aircraft and <a href="/facts/Customs_Marine_Unit/g9CaRK6H">Marine Unit</a> patrol vessels. Its activities take place under a variety of legislation covering areas such as customs, fisheries, quarantine, immigration, environment and law enforcement. </p><p>The MBC is responsible for coordinating and controlling operations to protect Australia's national interests against the following maritime security threats: </p> <ul><li>illegal exploitation of natural resources</li> <li>illegal activity in protected areas</li> <li>unauthorised maritime arrivals</li> <li>prohibited imports/exports</li> <li>maritime terrorism</li> <li>piracy</li> <li>compromise to bio-security</li> <li>marine pollution.</li></ul> <h2 id="commanders">Commanders</h2> <table><tbody><tr><th>Rank</th><th>Name</th><th>Term began</th><th>Term ended</th></tr><tr><th colspan="4">Commander Joint Offshore Protection Command</th></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Rear_admiral_(Australia)/lUA6o27d">Rear Admiral</a></td><td><a href="/facts/Russ_Crane/yrx37PRp">Russ Crane</a> <a href="/facts/Conspicuous_Service_Medal/AkHubovN">CSM</a></td><td>March 2005</td><td>May 2006</td></tr><tr><td>Rear Admiral</td><td><a href="/facts/James_Goldrick/26pgT0sB">James Goldrick</a> <a href="/facts/Member_of_the_Order_of_Australia/rx4oLyAh">AM</a>, <a href="/facts/Conspicuous_Service_Cross_(Australia)/2WgGLzb0">CSC</a></td><td>May 2006</td><td>October 2006</td></tr><tr><th colspan="4">Commander Border Protection Command</th></tr><tr><td>Rear Admiral</td><td>James Goldrick <a href="/facts/Member_of_the_Order_of_Australia/rx4oLyAh">AM</a>, <a href="/facts/Conspicuous_Service_Cross_(Australia)/2WgGLzb0">CSC</a></td><td>October 2006</td><td>May 2008</td></tr><tr><td>Rear Admiral</td><td><a href="/facts/Allan_du_Toit/Vfks0J1r">Allan du Toit</a> <a href="/facts/Member_of_the_Order_of_Australia/rx4oLyAh">AM</a></td><td>May 2008</td><td>February 2010</td></tr><tr><td>Rear Admiral</td><td><a href="/facts/Tim_Barrett_(admiral)/0gkRjLuW">Tim Barrett</a> <a href="/facts/Member_of_the_Order_of_Australia/rx4oLyAh">AM</a>, <a href="/facts/Conspicuous_Service_Cross_(Australia)/2WgGLzb0">CSC</a></td><td>February 2010</td><td>December 2011</td></tr><tr><td>Rear Admiral</td><td><a href="/facts/David_Johnston_(admiral)/MAXpAf13">David Johnston</a> <a href="/facts/Member_of_the_Order_of_Australia/rx4oLyAh">AM</a></td><td>December 2011</td><td>December 2013</td></tr><tr><td>Rear Admiral</td><td><a href="/facts/Michael_Noonan_(admiral)/QjmJYpfa">Michael Noonan</a> <a href="/facts/Member_of_the_Order_of_Australia/rx4oLyAh">AM</a></td><td>December 2013</td><td>14 January 2016</td></tr><tr><th colspan="4">Commander Maritime Border Command</th></tr><tr><td>Rear Admiral</td><td>Peter Laver <a href="/facts/Member_of_the_Order_of_Australia/rx4oLyAh">AM</a></td><td>14 January 2016</td><td>January 2019</td></tr><tr><td>Rear Admiral</td><td>Lee Goddard <a href="/facts/Conspicuous_Service_Cross_(Australia)/2WgGLzb0">CSC</a></td><td>28 January 2019</td><td>December 2020</td></tr><tr><td>Rear Admiral</td><td>Mark Hill <a href="/facts/Member_of_the_Order_of_Australia/rx4oLyAh">AM</a>, <a href="/facts/Conspicuous_Service_Cross_(Australia)/2WgGLzb0">CSC</a></td><td>December 2020</td><td>4 February 2022</td></tr><tr><td>Rear Admiral</td><td><a href="/facts/Justin_Jones_(admiral)/AU003QlI">Justin Jones</a> <a href="/facts/Conspicuous_Service_Cross_(Australia)/2WgGLzb0">CSC</a></td><td>4 February 2022</td><td>10 January 2024</td></tr><tr><td>Rear Admiral</td><td>Brett Sonter</td><td>10 January 2024</td><td></td></tr></tbody></table> <h2 id="external-links">External links</h2> <ul><li><a href="http://www.bpc.gov.au">Border Protection Command</a></li> <li>Rear Admiral Russ Crane <a href="http://www.defence.gov.au/defencemagazine/editions/20050501/groups/cjo.htm">Increasing our offshore maritime security</a></li></ul> <h2 id="references">References</h2> <ol> <li id="fn:1"><p>"Maritime Border Command – Australian Border Force". Department of Immigration and Border Protection. Archived from the original on 20 December 2016. Retrieved 7 December 2016. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20161220095129/https://www.border.gov.au/australian-border-force-abf/protecting/maritime/command" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20161220095129/https://www.border.gov.au/australian-border-force-abf/protecting/maritime/command</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:2"><p>"Department of Immigration and Border Protection – Annual Report 2015–16" (PDF). Department of Immigration and Border Protection. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 December 2016. Retrieved 7 December 2016. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20161220095456/https://www.border.gov.au/ReportsandPublications/Documents/annual-reports/annual-report-full-2015-16.pdf" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20161220095456/https://www.border.gov.au/ReportsandPublications/Documents/annual-reports/annual-report-full-2015-16.pdf</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:3"><p>"Border Lengths - States and Territories". Geoscience Australia. Australian Government. 31 July 2014. Retrieved 5 August 2017. <a href="http://www.ga.gov.au/scientific-topics/national-location-information/dimensions/border-lengths" target="_blank">http://www.ga.gov.au/scientific-topics/national-location-information/dimensions/border-lengths</a> <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:4"><p>Rear Admiral Lee Goddard <a href="http://www.navy.gov.au/biography/rear-admiral-lee-goddard" target="_blank">http://www.navy.gov.au/biography/rear-admiral-lee-goddard</a> <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:5"><p>"Maritime Border Command's History – Australian Border Force". Department of Immigration and Border Protection. Retrieved 7 December 2016. <a href="https://www.border.gov.au/australian-border-force-abf/protecting/maritime/command/history" target="_blank">https://www.border.gov.au/australian-border-force-abf/protecting/maritime/command/history</a> <a href="#fnref:5" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:6"><p>"Department of Immigration and Border Protection – Annual Report 2015–16" (PDF). Department of Immigration and Border Protection. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 December 2016. Retrieved 7 December 2016. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20161220095456/https://www.border.gov.au/ReportsandPublications/Documents/annual-reports/annual-report-full-2015-16.pdf" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20161220095456/https://www.border.gov.au/ReportsandPublications/Documents/annual-reports/annual-report-full-2015-16.pdf</a> <a href="#fnref:6" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> </ol>