Customs officer keeps borders secure
Tue 27 November 2007
Jacqueline Husson, Journalism
Beerwah resident Chris Everden has the type of job you could make into a television show. In fact someone already has - Border Security.
Mr Everden works on a Customs patrol boat protecting Australia “from the entry of illegal and harmful goods and unauthorised people” around northern Australia, where there is a perceived threat.
Australia has a huge coastline, about 35,000km. Customs uses “eyes in the sky”, Coastwatch aircraft and boats on the water to guard our borders. However, Mr Everden says more boats and aircraft would help greatly in their work.
With such an enormous coastline to protect border security can’t be everywhere, so they rely on intelligence gathered from Coastwatch, Australian fishing boats, state and federal police and the Navy.
Intelligence is gathered at a central office and given to each vessel for their “area of operation”.
Mr Everden says he is in the most danger from extreme weather conditions and “recalcitrant fisherman”.
Mr Everden would like to tell his stories but can’t because of the ‘official secrets act’ he signed when he started working as a Customs officer almost six years ago.
Mr Everden works away for two and a half weeks at a time. He lives in Beerwah with his wife and three children. The family often watches Border Security, which he says is a close account of what goes on in his job.
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