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Tuesday, 8 May 2012
Page: 2793

Australian Customs and Border Protection Service

(Question No. 1556)

Senator Birmingham asked the Minister representing the Minister for Home Affairs, upon notice, on 15 February 2012:

(1) Can details be provided of all resources committed by the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service, as well as known contributions from other agencies, towards the return to Australia of three protesters who boarded the Japanese vessel Shonan Maru No. 2 in January 2012.

(2) What was the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service's total expenditure on this exercise.

Senator Ludwig: The Minister for Home Affairs has provided the following answer to the honourable senator's question:

(1) The Australian Customs and Border Protection Vessel Ocean Protector was tasked to divert from its fisheries enforcement patrol to retrieve the three activists and transfer them to the mainland. This operation lasted for nine days. The Agency fulfilled its role using existing Customs and Border Protection staff who are dedicated on an ongoing basis to maritime surveillance and response activities. Customs and Border Protection does not have details about other agencies contributions.

(2) The retrieval had direct additional costs to Customs and Border Protection of $155,000. This included costs for fuel, berthage and support services. This is in addition to the normal operating costs of the ACV Ocean Protector during the nine-day period, which were approximately $906,000. Due to the retrieval, nine days were lost to Customs and Border Protection in their fisheries enforcement patrol in the Southern Ocean.