Latest news with #ChrisWaters
The Advertiser
2 days ago
- The Advertiser
'No excuse' after man exposes himself, hurls phone at Border Force
Drunk Aussies warned after boozy travellers wreak havoc at airport. Australian Border Force. By Sarah Falson Updated July 16 2025 - 12:56pm, first published 12:28pm So you've had a few drinks on the plane coming home from Bali, but that doesn't mean you should make a wally out of yourself and chuck a wobbly at customs. Subscribe now for unlimited access. or signup to continue reading All articles from our website The digital version of Today's Paper All other in your area This is the (highly paraphrased) message from the Australian Border Force (ABF) after a string of "unacceptable incidents" at Perth International Airport recently. According to the force, in one incident, a passenger returned on a flight from Kuala Lumpur and appeared to be "heavily intoxicated". It is alleged the man became disruptive and "swore repeatedly" during a baggage search carried out by ABF officers. He then "exposed himself by pulling his pants down on numerous occasions before throwing his mobile phone which hit an officer". Australian Federal Police (AFP) reportedly removed the man from the airport and after an investigation charged the man with common assault, disorderly behaviour in public and two counts of indecent acts in public. The man pleaded guilty in the South Hedland Magistrates Court on May 13, 2025, to the four offences and was fined $1500 and ordered to pay court costs. "There is no excuse for abuse or violence towards Australian Border Force (ABF) officers," ABF has said. In another incident on April 15, 2025, a WA traveller returning from Thailand allegedly became aggressive after being selected for a routine baggage search. When ABF advised they would be seizing a carton of cigarettes the man failed to declare, he allegedly punched a wall, causing a hole. Australian Border Force smart gates. AFP was called and interviewed the man before escorting him from the terminal. He was summonsed to appear in Perth Magistrates Court in August to face a charge of criminal damage, contrary to section 444(1)(b) of the Criminal Code (WA). ABF Assistant Commissioner Chris Waters said this was the third reported incident in a few months, highlighting a disturbing and growing trend of abuse toward ABF officers. "Our officers are hardworking, dedicated men and women, and the ABF has zero tolerance towards members of the public who abuse or assault officers while they are carrying out their lawful duties," Assistant Commissioner Waters said. "Like any of us when we go to work, at the very minimum, our officers deserve to be treated with respect and common courtesy. "Verbal or physical abuse will not be tolerated. "There is no excuse. No matter how drunk or tired you are after your flight, we will act swiftly with our law enforcement partners if you behave this way." ABF confirmed the issue of unruly behaviour at customs is not exclusive to Perth airport but is Australia-wide, and they believe the issue is under-reported. The ABF processes around 750,000 passengers entering and leaving Australia's borders through airports every week. Provisional data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics shows 43.3 million people arrived and left through Australian Border Force (air and sea) during the 2024-25 financial year. Words by Sarah Falson Sarah is ACM's travel producer. She believes regional travel is just as fun (if not better) than staying in the big cities and loves any travel experience to do with nature, animals and food!.My all-time favourite destination is ... Cornwall. From the giant seagulls to the blustery beaches, Cornish pasties and fishing villages, it stirs something romantic and seafaring in me. Next on my bucket list is … Mongolia. I want to go somewhere really unique that feels totally foreign and challenges my way of life. My top travel tip is … Don't plan too much. Walk the streets and let it happen. And make sure you check out what's within a few blocks of your hotel - sometimes the best local food is found that way.
West Australian
5 days ago
- West Australian
Urgent plea over dangerous trend as ‘hammered' travellers cause chaos at Australia's international airports
Watch 7NEWS at 6pm for exclusive footage. The Australian Border Force (ABF) has issued a plea for Australians to behave at airports after a spike in travellers arriving home on international flights drunk and abusive. ABF Assistant Commissioner Chris Waters said in the past eight months, far too many officers have been abused and assaulted. 'Some people are really hammered, to be frank. Some people start taking their clothes off, and some get very aggressive, even punching holes in the wall,' he said. 'We've had some of our officers threatened to be 'knocked out'. We've had phones thrown at our officers, assaults on them, and verbal abuse. It just won't be tolerated.' 'We've seen a rise through all the airports coming into Australia.' It's suspected to be a combination of travellers loading up on booze before and during flights home and the ABF has declared it has zero tolerance for aggression against its staff. 'People are really taking drinking too far on the plane,' Mr Waters said. 'We're working closely with the airlines in relation to this issue, because their staff also have issues in relation to abusive behaviour, as well as the duty-free staff, and other staff within the airports.' 'The police will prosecute those offenses, and some countries might not allow you to get a visa if you've got such serious offences against your name.' ABF has provided shocking CCTV footage of several recent cases that can been seen exclusively on 7NEWS at 6pm tonight. One involved a man returning from Kuala Lumpur heavily intoxicated in March when it was alleged he became disruptive and swore during a baggage search. The man can then be seen pulling down his pants on several occasions and exposing himself. He then thew his mobile phone, hitting an ABF officer. Charged with common assault, disorderly behaviour and two counts of indecent acts, the man pleaded guilty and was fined $1500. According to the ABF, officers working at the airport are confronted with drunk and aggressive passengers at least a few times every day. Assistant Commissioner Waters said the offending passengers arrive from all kinds of destinations, sometimes over-indulging on long-haul flights. But often it is shorter flights when the travellers may also be intoxicated before boarding. 'This is not total, but our experience is it's mostly from Southeast Asian countries returning home,' he said. 'Potentially, it is the shorter flights, potentially the cheaper alcohol in those countries, that's where we see the trend.' 'We've had some folk coming back from Bali who have been hammered and have been quite aggressive to our staff.' In April a man arriving at Perth Airport from Thailand became aggressive after he was selected for a routine baggage search. When officers told the man they would be seizing a carton of undeclared cigarettes, he allegedly punch a hole in a wall. He was escorted from the airport by Federal Police and charged with criminal damage. 'It is a stressful time coming through airports, I absolutely accept that, but if you're intoxicated, it's just going to make it much, much worse,' Assistant Commissioner Waters said. 'You've got to fill in your incoming passenger card, that's your opportunity to declare things and if somebody is intoxicated, they might not understand what they're ticking or not fill it in correctly.' 'That causes us then to engage with them, and that is when the aggressiveness sometimes occurs.' In 2024, ABF officers processed over 41-million international air travellers. Commissioner Chris Waters said officers working at airports are on alert to intercept drug-traffickers, child abusers, and dangerous criminals. Important work, which he said does not need drunken travellers to distract his staff from. 'It does take valuable resources away from what our officers could be doing in other parts of the airport,' he said. 'If it was a licensed venue, those people would be turned away, but Australians returning home, we have to allow them in, which is, you know, fair.' 'But if people are on visas who misbehave, then there is an opportunity for us to cancel their visa and to return them home.' In another recent case a Chinese national arrived in Australia and refused to answer questions about his travel and became violent. He also made repeated threats of physical harm against ABF officers, including threats of knife violence. That man's visa was cancelled, and he was sent home on the next available flight. 'My advice is don't get hammered on the plane, don't be a muppet when you come back through the airport, treat our officers with respect,' Mr Waters said. 'Because they could be your sons, or daughters, or brothers, or sisters, and we're all just trying to do a good job and keeping Australia safe.'
Perth Now
5 days ago
- Perth Now
Urgent plea as ‘hammered' travellers cause chaos at Australian airports
Watch 7NEWS at 6pm for exclusive footage. The Australian Border Force (ABF) has issued a plea for Australians to behave at airports after a spike in travellers arriving home on international flights drunk and abusive. ABF Assistant Commissioner Chris Waters said in the past eight months, far too many officers have been abused and assaulted. 'Some people are really hammered, to be frank. Some people start taking their clothes off, and some get very aggressive, even punching holes in the wall,' he said. 'We've had some of our officers threatened to be 'knocked out'. We've had phones thrown at our officers, assaults on them, and verbal abuse. It just won't be tolerated.' 'We've seen a rise through all the airports coming into Australia.' It's suspected to be a combination of travellers loading up on booze before and during flights home and the ABF has declared it has zero tolerance for aggression against its staff. 'People are really taking drinking too far on the plane,' Mr Waters said. 'We're working closely with the airlines in relation to this issue, because their staff also have issues in relation to abusive behaviour, as well as the duty-free staff, and other staff within the airports.' 'The police will prosecute those offenses, and some countries might not allow you to get a visa if you've got such serious offences against your name.' ABF has provided shocking CCTV footage of several recent cases that can been seen exclusively on 7NEWS at 6pm tonight. One involved a man returning from Kuala Lumpur heavily intoxicated in March when it was alleged he became disruptive and swore during a baggage search. The man can then be seen pulling down his pants on several occasions and exposing himself. He then thew his mobile phone, hitting an ABF officer. Charged with common assault, disorderly behaviour and two counts of indecent acts, the man pleaded guilty and was fined $1500. A heavily intoxicated man returning from Kuala Lumpur exposed himself to Australian Border Force officers. Credit: 7NEWS According to the ABF, officers working at the airport are confronted with drunk and aggressive passengers at least a few times every day. Assistant Commissioner Waters said the offending passengers arrive from all kinds of destinations, sometimes over-indulging on long-haul flights. But often it is shorter flights when the travellers may also be intoxicated before boarding. 'This is not total, but our experience is it's mostly from Southeast Asian countries returning home,' he said. 'Potentially, it is the shorter flights, potentially the cheaper alcohol in those countries, that's where we see the trend.' 'We've had some folk coming back from Bali who have been hammered and have been quite aggressive to our staff.' In April a man arriving at Perth Airport from Thailand became aggressive after he was selected for a routine baggage search. When officers told the man they would be seizing a carton of undeclared cigarettes, he allegedly punch a hole in a wall. He was escorted from the airport by Federal Police and charged with criminal damage. ABF Assistant Commissioner Chris Waters (right) speaks with 7NEWS reporter James Camrody about a spike in violent incidents involving intoxicated travellers at Australian airports. Credit: 7NEWS 'It is a stressful time coming through airports, I absolutely accept that, but if you're intoxicated, it's just going to make it much, much worse,' Assistant Commissioner Waters said. 'You've got to fill in your incoming passenger card, that's your opportunity to declare things and if somebody is intoxicated, they might not understand what they're ticking or not fill it in correctly.' 'That causes us then to engage with them, and that is when the aggressiveness sometimes occurs.' Travellers might fill in their incoming passenger cards incorrectly if intoxicated. Credit: 7NEWS In 2024, ABF officers processed over 41-million international air travellers. Commissioner Chris Waters said officers working at airports are on alert to intercept drug-traffickers, child abusers, and dangerous criminals. Important work, which he said does not need drunken travellers to distract his staff from. 'It does take valuable resources away from what our officers could be doing in other parts of the airport,' he said. 'If it was a licensed venue, those people would be turned away, but Australians returning home, we have to allow them in, which is, you know, fair.' 'But if people are on visas who misbehave, then there is an opportunity for us to cancel their visa and to return them home.' In another recent case a Chinese national arrived in Australia and refused to answer questions about his travel and became violent. He also made repeated threats of physical harm against ABF officers, including threats of knife violence. That man's visa was cancelled, and he was sent home on the next available flight. 'My advice is don't get hammered on the plane, don't be a muppet when you come back through the airport, treat our officers with respect,' Mr Waters said. 'Because they could be your sons, or daughters, or brothers, or sisters, and we're all just trying to do a good job and keeping Australia safe.'
7NEWS
5 days ago
- 7NEWS
Urgent plea over dangerous trend as ‘hammered' travellers cause chaos at Australia's international airports
The Australian Border Force (ABF) has issued a plea for Australians to behave at airports after a spike in travellers arriving home on international flights drunk and abusive. ABF Assistant Commissioner Chris Waters said in the past eight months, far too many officers have been abused and assaulted. 'Some people are really hammered, to be frank. Some people start taking their clothes off, and some get very aggressive, even punching holes in the wall,' he said. 'We've had some of our officers threatened to be 'knocked out'. We've had phones thrown at our officers, assaults on them, and verbal abuse. It just won't be tolerated.' 'We've seen a rise through all the airports coming into Australia.' It's suspected to be a combination of travellers loading up on booze before and during flights home and the ABF has declared it has zero tolerance for aggression against its staff. 'People are really taking drinking too far on the plane,' Mr Waters said. 'We're working closely with the airlines in relation to this issue, because their staff also have issues in relation to abusive behaviour, as well as the duty-free staff, and other staff within the airports.' 'The police will prosecute those offenses, and some countries might not allow you to get a visa if you've got such serious offences against your name.' Shocking behaviour caught on camera ABF has provided shocking CCTV footage of several recent cases that can been seen exclusively on 7NEWS at 6pm tonight. One involved a man returning from Kuala Lumpur heavily intoxicated in March when it was alleged he became disruptive and swore during a baggage search. The man can then be seen pulling down his pants on several occasions and exposing himself. He then thew his mobile phone, hitting an ABF officer. Charged with common assault, disorderly behaviour and two counts of indecent acts, the man pleaded guilty and was fined $1500. Where most intoxicated passengers are travelling from According to the ABF, officers working at the airport are confronted with drunk and aggressive passengers at least a few times every day. Assistant Commissioner Waters said the offending passengers arrive from all kinds of destinations, sometimes over-indulging on long-haul flights. But often it is shorter flights when the travellers may also be intoxicated before boarding. 'This is not total, but our experience is it's mostly from Southeast Asian countries returning home,' he said. 'Potentially, it is the shorter flights, potentially the cheaper alcohol in those countries, that's where we see the trend.' 'We've had some folk coming back from Bali who have been hammered and have been quite aggressive to our staff.' In April a man arriving at Perth Airport from Thailand became aggressive after he was selected for a routine baggage search. When officers told the man they would be seizing a carton of undeclared cigarettes, he allegedly punch a hole in a wall. He was escorted from the airport by Federal Police and charged with criminal damage. Intoxication making air travel 'much, much worse' 'It is a stressful time coming through airports, I absolutely accept that, but if you're intoxicated, it's just going to make it much, much worse,' Assistant Commissioner Waters said. 'You've got to fill in your incoming passenger card, that's your opportunity to declare things and if somebody is intoxicated, they might not understand what they're ticking or not fill it in correctly.' 'That causes us then to engage with them, and that is when the aggressiveness sometimes occurs.' Visas cancelled In 2024, ABF officers processed over 41-million international air travellers. Commissioner Chris Waters said officers working at airports are on alert to intercept drug-traffickers, child abusers, and dangerous criminals. Important work, which he said does not need drunken travellers to distract his staff from. 'It does take valuable resources away from what our officers could be doing in other parts of the airport,' he said. 'If it was a licensed venue, those people would be turned away, but Australians returning home, we have to allow them in, which is, you know, fair.' 'But if people are on visas who misbehave, then there is an opportunity for us to cancel their visa and to return them home.' In another recent case a Chinese national arrived in Australia and refused to answer questions about his travel and became violent. He also made repeated threats of physical harm against ABF officers, including threats of knife violence. That man's visa was cancelled, and he was sent home on the next available flight. 'My advice is don't get hammered on the plane, don't be a muppet when you come back through the airport, treat our officers with respect,' Mr Waters said. 'Because they could be your sons, or daughters, or brothers, or sisters, and we're all just trying to do a good job and keeping Australia safe.'
West Australian
10-06-2025
- West Australian
Australian Border Force recruiting Broome locals after success of Singapore flights
The Australian Border Force is looking for Broome locals to carry out the customs and immigration clearances required for international passengers following success of the inaugural Singapore flights from Broome International Airport. ABF Assistant Commissioner Chris Waters said the force was looking to build up a local workforce to service the increase of international flights to Singapore. 'We are looking for people to wear the ABF uniform with pride and perform the frontline roles required for processing passengers from international flights at Broome International Airport,' he said. 'This is a really important role for our officers as we are often the first impression for international tourists arriving in Australia, and we pride ourselves in making that a positive experience.' Commissioner Waters said international flights twice a week from Singapore during the dry season, meant additional officers were now required on a casual, flexible basis. 'As well as working at the airport processing passengers, you will also have the opportunity to perform a wide range of operational roles, including the processing of cargo, aircraft, vessels, pleasure craft and marine crew arriving and departing Australia, to name just a few,' he said. 'We are really excited to offer these roles to Broome-based residents and believe it will offer tremendous opportunities and open up a world of experiences for the successful candidates.' Interested locals can read more about the role and apply by going to the APS Jobs website.
