6 October 2015

The Hon Richard Marles MP
Shadow Minister for Immigration and Border Protection|
17A Yarra Street
GEELONG VIC 3220

Dear Mr Marles

Request for an investigation into training provided to Australian Border Force Officers

Thank you for your letter of 30 August 2015 requesting the Australian National Audit Office (ANAO) to investigate the training that has been provided to officials within the Australian Border Force (ABF) since its inception on 1 July 2015. Specifically, you have sought coverage of the powers that officers of the ABF possess and the circumstances in which these powers can be legally exercised.

The training provided to ABF officers is not currently a topic in the ANAO’s Audit Work Program July 2015. As you will appreciate, the ANAO seeks to achieve a spread of topics across the public sector, and the ANAO is currently undertaking six performance audits on other topics involving the Department of Immigration and Border Protection. Decisions on conducting audits need to take into account relative priorities across all portfolios.

I have noted your concerns in relation to the training provided to ABF Officers and will consider including coverage of the establishment of the ABF along with the creation and operation of the ABF College in our next audit work program. In doing so, I will take into account advice from the Commissioner of the ABF on 16 September 2015 that he has commissioned a review which will ‘analyse the processes which the department has in place so that exercise of ABF compliance officers’ powers and delegations are being undertaken in accordance with legislation, documented appropriately, and training is fit for purpose’.

Yours sincerely

Rona Mellor PSM
Acting Auditor-General