Australia’s battle against people smugglers now has a new political face, with Tony Burke taking over the Home Affairs and Immigration portfolios from Clare O’Neil and Andrew Giles.
But operationally there has been a new face in charge since January when Rear Admiral Brett Sonter took command of Operation Sovereign Borders (OSB).
Not long into his command, in February, more than 30 men made it to Australian shores undetected on an illegal boat from Asia.
Know the news with the 7NEWS app: Download today
Footage of the men turning up in the middle of the remote coastal Aboriginal community of Beagle Bay in WA’s north thrust border security firmly back into the political frame ahead of the next election.
Real Admiral Sonter returned to Beagle Bay with 7NEWS Asia Editor James Carmody to give a rare interview on where things stand now as far as the usually secretive operation is concerned.
“We are seeing more (arrivals), but we are seeing the successful mission that is OSB, where, irrespective of where they’re coming, we are taking them safely to an option that is not allowing that permanent Australian settlement,“ Sonter said.
“We have seen a change where we saw bigger ventures, more people, slower boats, where we are seeing that change in tactics.
“We are also seeing a conflation of people that may be fishers, and boats that look like traditional fishers, being used for other means.”
Sonter also firmly dismissed rumours rife in the remote region that such arrivals had become common but were being kept secret.
“I would say to you, as the head of this, they would be wrong,” he said.
Wrong, but not totally unfounded, with the experienced Navy man explaining there had been a recent spike in October of illegal foreign fishing in Australian waters.
The hunt for sea cucumber, or trepang, brings Indonesian fishing crews into shallow waters, and often brazenly onto shore to set up camp.
But a concerted Australian effort to address illegal fishing has proven effective.
In 2023, there were 912 sightings of illegal fishing vessels, while from January to May 2024, there have been 69 recorded.
Intercepted illegal fishers are dealt with on a case-by-case basis and can have their fish and equipment seized, face criminal charges, or the potential controlled burning of their boats.
Battling both illegal fishers and people smugglers, Operation Sovereign Borders’ priority is deterrence and prevention before unseaworthy vessels even set sail for Australian shores.
“I would like more co-operation with all willing partners, and they are all willing partners, I mean we’re talking about a transnational threat, and the only way we’re going to stop transnational threats are with our regional partners,” Sonter said.
“I regularly have conversations with our regional partners, they are very willing partners, they are seeing the same challenges, and collectively is the best way forward to address this transnational threat.”
The operation’s second priority is on-water surveillance and interception of illegal arrivals.
But for those that survive the perilous journey, and slip through the network of satellites, aircraft, and vessels, to make it to Australian shores the danger is far from over.
The sparsely populated Kimberley is twice the size of Victoria and is beautiful but inhospitable.
It is also routinely patrolled by the men and women of the Broome-based Australian Border Force team.
That team patrols the coast in four-wheel-drives from 80 Mile Beach all the way around to the Northern Territory border, with patrols lasting up to 10 days at a time.
It involves checking campsites, tracks, boats, and even remote airstrips for signs of light aircraft sneaking in.
Each time they deploy, the officers carry firearms and bulletproof vests, ready for anything from drug smugglers to people smugglers, or even crocodiles.
“Our officers are really well-trained to be aware, to be croc-wise, we do deploy with shotguns, and we use those when we deploy in waterway areas,” said Australian Border Force Senior Officer Ellie Gibson.
“We’re also well aware of venomous snakes and spiders, which are everywhere.”
The ABF also works closely with traditional owners in the region.
“They are our eyes and ears, they are out on the water, they are on their country day in, day out, and we rely heavily on them to report anything back to us that’s suspicious or out of place to them,” said Supervising Officer Brett Skewes.
One of about 300 residents of Beagle Bay,two hours’ drive north of Broom, Henry Augustine was there when the illegal arrivals were found in February.
“We’ve been having some visitors coming from ‘next door’, some boat people, and at first people were a bit nervous with them turning up,” he said.
“We actually looked after those people, and fed them, made sure they were OK.”
Augustine said the group might not have survived if they had arrived even a short distance further up or down the isolated coast.
“The elements, the weather, crocodiles, sharks, snakes, all these things are dangerous and could kill them,” he said.
“Even the waters, whirlpools, hitting the rocks and sinking, strong currents.
“It’s pretty country, but also dangerous, very dangerous.”
Along with traditional owners, the ABF also asks tourists and visitors to the region to look out for suspicious vessels.
“We deliver them a package that has some info sheets on certain things that we’re looking for, and it gives them a number to call and notify us if they see something,” Brett Skewes said.
“We’re asking them to keep an eye out for things like signalling at night, bonfires on the beach, hides being buried.
“Or, just suspicious boat movements, through the night, when it’s maybe inclement weather, or weather that may not be suitable for that sort of activity.”
Every member of the group that illegally arrived in Beagle Bay was swiftly flown out of the country.
See the full report in 7NEWS at 6pm.