Australian Defence Force Operations

Abstract

The Australian Defence Force (ADF) is currently actively engaged in abroad spectrum of operations. Its personnel are operating under various environmental conditions from the tropics to the deserts to the Southern Ocean and Afghanistan. Currently, the ADF has approximately 3850 personnel deployed on operations around the world. In addition, a number of ADF personnel are involved in border protection, in domestic support operations and in providing a response capability for domestic security. The ADF also engages in maritime surveillance operations in the South West Pacific, Indian Ocean and South China Sea. On the domestic front, it recently focused on support to APEC 2007, and the Papal visit in July 2008....This paper will give an overview of ADF operations for the periodbetween June 2007 and July 2008 and mention some of the salient legal issues arising from these operations.From a legal perspective, ADF operations raise significant issues of the use of force in non-international armed conflict and non-combat situations, the role of the ADF in law enforcement and the use of military power to promote the rule of law, both at home and overseas.