Coalition plans to combat people smuggling to Australia

A senior military officer with powers to bypass normal Defence Force command structures would be put in charge of combating people smugglers and securing Australia's borders under a future Coalition government.

This morning Opposition Leader Tony Abbott unveiled plans for what the Coalition has called Operation Sovereign Borders, saying the continued arrival of asylum seekers in waters off Australia's north-west coast amounted to a "national emergency".

Under the proposal, the three-star commander would be appointed by the Chief of the Defence Force and would report directly to the immigration minister.