Defence heavyweight appointed
Senior Defence figure Gavan Reynolds will be sworn in as the nation’s top border official as the Albanese government comes under increased pressure over national security.
Senior Defence figure Gavan Reynolds will be sworn in as the nation’s top border official, taking control of the powerful law enforcement agency as the Albanese government comes under increased pressure over national security.
The Australian Defence Force’s inaugural Chief of Defence Intelligence will replace retiring Australian Border Force commissioner Michael Outram next month, bringing more than 40 years of experience in public service to the pivotal role.
As Labor comes under increased scrutiny over border security and illegal boat arrivals in the lead-up to a federal election, Lieutenant General Reynolds will be in charge of overseeing key components of the nation’s immigration, Customs and border patrol operations.
“It is a privilege to lead the Australian Border Force and the dedicated people protecting the national asset that is our border,” Lieutenant General Reynolds said.
“I look forward to working closely with the Department of Home Affairs and across government to deliver prosperity, security and unity for Australia.”
In his time with the ADF, Lieutenant General Reynolds served in several strategic and operational posts including as Australian military representative to NATO and the EU and head of military strategic commitments, and he was deployed to Afghanistan as part of the International Security Assistance Force.
Mr Outram, who retires on November 9, will give a valedictory address at the National Press Club on Wednesday, where he will reflect on his career and the increasingly complex strategic backdrop against which the ABF operates.
He oversaw the closure and reopening of Australia’s international borders during Covid and led operations on the ground in Ukraine shortly after the downing of flight MH17, in which 38 Australian residents died.
After beginning his law enforcement career with the London Metropolitan Police, Mr Outram was also one of the first responders on the scene after the IRA bombing of the Baltic Exchange in London in 1992.
Protecting Australia’s borders while enabling legitimate travel and trade placed Mr Outram in the position of overseeing the transfer of about 40 million passengers and close to a trillion dollars in trade each year.
The ABF, which was established in 2015 and comes under the Department of Home Affairs, also leads Operation Sovereign Borders, which combats people-smuggling by preventing illegal boat arrivals from landing in Australia. It saw an increase in boat arrivals between November and April, after several groups of asylum-seekers were found on the remote Western Australia north coast after being dropped off by people-smugglers, sparking concerns about a surge in maritime arrivals.
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