Operation Sovereign Borders (OSB)

Question 1

Summary and date of OSB

Answer 1

-After winning the Federal election with a promise to “stop the boats”, Tony Abbott and Immigration Minister Scott Morrison launch Operation Sovereign Borders (OSB) in 2013
-OSB is a military-led border security operation
-Its purpose is to protect Australia’s borders, combat people smuggling in the region, and prevent people from risking their lives at sea

Question 2

3 purposes of OSB

Answer 2

-Offshore processing (when asylum seekers reach Australia by boat, they are not held in Australia while their claims are processed - sent to offshore processing centre on the Pacific Island nation of Nauru instead)

-Regional Settlement (if the asylum seekers are found to be refugees, they are not allowed to be settled in Australia)

-Boat Turnbacks (boats that are intercepted by the Australian Defence forces are, where it is safe to do so, returned to their place of departure)

Question 3

Factors Shaping OSB

Answer 3

-Over a 13,000% increase in boat arrivals in the years preceding the introduction of Operation Sovereign Borders
2007: 148 people arrived by boat
2013: Over 20,000 people arrived by boat
- The new coalition government had been elected upon a campaign to “stop the boats”
-Attempt to replicate successful border protection policies of previous Coalition governments (e.g., the Pacific Solution)

Question 4

FPI, power type associated w/h OSB

Answer 4

-Military FPI
-Military Power
-Hard power
-Pragmatism (see illegal immigration increasing statistic)

Question 5

Effectiveness

Answer 5

-OSB has been effective in reducing the number of boat arrivals in Australia
2013: over 20,000 people arrived by boat
2020: 6 people arrived in Australia by boat
-The above is a 99.97% decrease

Question 6

Differing Interpretations - Anthony Albanese

Answer 6

“People won’t be allowed to settle here because we don’t want people risking their lives and we also don’t want the quite evil trade of people smuggling to be able to profit from such activity”

Question 7

Differing Interpretations - Dr Graham Thom
- Amnesty

Answer 7

“Amnesty opposes the policy of pushing back boats because it is dangerous for the people on board”
This shirks Australia’s international commitments to protect the rights of asylum seekers”

Question 8

Relevant National Interests

Answer 8

-OSB achieves national security (see statistics of decrease in numbers of illegal immigrants)
-OSB does not achieve international standing (see Amnesty quote)