Border Security: Australia's Front Line

Very uneven treatment of visitors. One NZ couple forgot to dump an apple or something, given to them by the airline for lunch and were fined the same as others bringing in undeclared suitcases full of banned food.

Would put me off visiting if this was a true reflection of border rules... Maybe these are exceptions selected just for the programme.

One wonders why the customs dept don't employ more Chinese speakers on the frontline. Also why airlines originating from China don't show landing videos in Chinese.

This periodic reality series - screening on Network Seven - chronicles the work of Australia's Customs and Quarantine personnel in intercepting suspicious persons or goods entering through Australia's airports.

Filmed largely at Sydney Airport, each show presents a motley crew of suspicious or randomly-selected persons being subjected to an elaborative and thorough screening process. Some are puzzled, others violently indignant: some are well presented, others conspicuously disheveled and inarticulate. We see all kinds of cases: those who have innocently omitted to make certain declarations, those making attempts at mass drug imports, or visitors on 'Tourist Visas' in reality seeking to enter the country for the purposes of work.

Whether BORDER SECURITY contributes to the Australian public's fear of foreigners, or panders to stereotyped views of the typical immigrant, the viewer will have to decide for themselves. The show itself is both entertaining and informative, and portrays those devoted to protecting our borders as being very thorough, and diligently aware of the nefarious tricks incoming passengers play. (The show certainly makes you wonder how much went undetected in the days before narcotic residue machines though!)

The jump-around editing combined with the terrible soundtrack which intended to empower the situations of the scenes after scenes actually ruined a peaceful viewing. Every episode of this series is the same, annoying jumping-around editing that ended up a very shaky camera work that would make your eyes and brain dizzy. Then again, the horrible supporting soundtracks that bombarded all the scenes shown on the screen, these negative factors together have made the series barely watchable. Furthermore, most of the episodes are concentrating on Australian airport and the visitors who often broke Australian laws are goofy Chinese people, especially those female ones who try to bring in illegally prohibited products from China, or drugs from Netherland, such episode after episode just became so cliched and so boring to watch. Now I finally understand what the old saying: "Same S..t, Different Day." actually means.

Great TV. Great entertainment. Very cheap to make and makes people aware. If you think you are clever, there are an awful lot of people cleverer than you. It's all been seen and done before, nothing new under the sun. The one thing that worries me is the lack of clean tools used by the customs officers. There seems to be a distinct possibility of cross contamination. Sure, the TV program shows those caught but what happened to those not shown in the TV? The street drug test kits have gained a certain notoriety in the USA (for giving false positives). I hope the Australian government pays for good kits. As they are so sensitive all tools should be absolutely clean. One thing that worried me recently was a computer (admittedly concealing card skimmers) that was opened with the screwdriver in a pen knife! Having had cause to open various electronic items I know that using the wrong tool can bugger the screws holding something together.