A new $388.9 million plan to combat illegal foreign fishing in northern Australian waters, announced as part of the Howard Government's 2006-07 Federal Budget, will not address the issue of securing Australia's northern border regions, says Labor's Shadow Minister for Home Security, Arch Bevis
The Federal Government announced the "whole-of government plan" in response to increasing pressure on Australia's sea borders from illegal fishing, asylum seekers and the threat of terrorism, claiming it will double the number of illegal vessels apprehended.
The plan will see coordination of information and activities from a collection of strategic agencies or "whole of government" which includes Customs, Fisheries, Defence, Immigration and Federal Police. A new single command centre, the Joint Offshore Protection Command (JOPC) will assume responsibility for the plan which involves operational coordination, surveillance, intelligence analysis and control for all enforcement responses to illegal foreign fishing.
Labor Opposition remain unconvinced, however, saying the new measures are merely a rehash of old systems and do not confidently address the issue of border control.
"Many of the measures wrapped up as 'new' are simply an extension of existing programs – programs that thus far have failed to work," Mr Bevis said. "For example, more plane flights won't deliver the apprehension of a single boat. Coastwatch already spots around 13,000 fishing vessels annually. Unfortunately all they can do is watch as the vast majority of them motor away."
Mr Bevis said pressure from depleted Asian fishing stocks was increasing and doubling the number of apprehensions was not good enough.
"The world's fish stocks are failing at the same time as Asia's population is exploding. The value of premium illegal fish (such as shark fin) can fetch up to US$744 per kilo in Hong Kong," he said.
"Last year the number of illegal vessels sighted in our northern waters grew from about 8000 to 13000, but only 200 were caught. Those who operate illegal boats know they have a good chance of getting away."
Australia desperately needs more patrol boats and a permanent Coastguard, Mr Bevis explained, citing the recent diversion of slow naval minehunters to chase illegal fishing boats as an example of the level of desperation.
"Until the Government establishes a dedicated Coastguard the Australian taxpayer will not get value for money, and the growing problem of illegal vessels will continue to plague us" Mr Bevis said
Dr Chris Chung from the Strategic and Defence Studies Centre at ANU is cautious about a Coastguard at this point, saying that the present allocation of resources was "appropriate according to the scale of the problem".
"If the problem were to increase, for instance, a sudden influx of illegal immigrants, then the government would have to look at responding by allocating more resources" he said.
When asked if it was wise to wait till a security scare occurred, Dr Chung said
"You can prepare for the worst but the first step should be to initiate a review to determine how well the present system is working".
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