Uncovering Operation Sovereign Borders

Meg Randolph1
1Monash University, Mount Waverley, VIC

In contemporary society, border policy is having a larger impact as the international migrant population continues to increase. In Australia, unauthorised migration has been largely criminalised and linked to an issue of security. This can be seen in the current Australian policy: Operation Sovereign Borders. Since its inception by the coalition government in 2013, there has been a distinct lack of transparency with the true impact of the policy. Being implemented beyond the traditional border, policies and their communication has become a key element in deterrence. This research will assess how Operation Sovereign Borders has been communicated to key audience groups within Australia, the Asia-Pacific region and to international policy makers in the European Union. Subsequently, the impact that this policy has had upon migration will be assessed


Biography:

Meg is a current PhD candidate and Research Assistant in Criminology at Monash within the Border Crossing Observatory. Meg received her Bachelor of Criminology and Criminal Justice from the University of New South Wales in 2016 and her Arts (Honours) Degree in criminology from Monash University in 2017. Her doctoral research explores border policy communication to varying audience groups. This research is focused on the Australian policy of ‘Operation Sovereign Borders’ and the associated methods of communication currently deployed at a national, regional and international level.