Border Security: Australia's Front Line

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!)

Thi programme itself is quite well made but tends to think its viewers are under the age of ten and so go into ridiculous and annoying repetition.

What does stand out is the over aggressive pursuit of drug mules. It seems that as soon as an officer suspects ANY passenger of being involved in drugs they go all the way to prove their beliefs.

The officers all seem to have been trained in the art of belittling people and intimidation.

This is a brilliant advertisement for NOT going to Australia.

They should check out Americas Gatekeepers to see how it's done.

As someone who also came into Australia, I zipped through immigration and was hopping in a taxi in no time ---- because I followed the rules.

For those going on about apples and bananas, a law is a law.

I understood I was entering someone else's country and there are laws I need to abide by.

And for those who insist on bringing cooked food in their suitcase, my question is WHY????

There's an abundance of food in Australia. And you can find dishes and ingredients from so many foreign cultures here so why embarrass yourself like this?

And you know what --- if you want to only eat stuff from your home country, STAY HOME.

You're coming to Australia so eat what's bloody available here and leave your pork rolls at home.

This programme is completely ruined by the loud background music. Like most people I have neighbours so I either turn it down and try to hear what is being said over the music or I usually end up switching over. The music doesn't add to the drama it's just very aggravating.

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.