In an increasingly complex world, there is a heightened threat environment for irregular migration to Australia. With people smugglers becoming more sophisticated in how they spread disinformation about Australia’s migration policies, the risk to life of those embarking on hazardous maritime journeys has never been greater.
This project will establish a forecast of this irregular migration activity and then model the effects of potential deterrence intervention strategies.
Through the Defence Trailblazer’s Accelerating Sovereign Industrial Capabilities (ASIC) funding program, a multi-party collaborative research project agreement has been signed with M&C Saatchi World Services, the University of Adelaide, UNSW and Defence Trailblazer.
This project will enable Defence to look into the future and allocate resources accordingly to deter irregular migration journeys before they happen.
The project – the first dual collaboration between Defence Trailblazer and the two universities – aims to address existing prediction model limitations by developing a dynamic and responsive irregular migration prediction model using machine learning algorithms.
“The model’s predictive capabilities will serve as an early warning system for potential future challenges, allowing Defence staff and decision makers to anticipate and prepare for future needs proactively,” said UNSW researcher Professor Scott Sisson.
The project team will create a route-based prediction model, an interface for Defence staff to perform scenario planning, and a platform to deploy media deterrence messaging.
“An ounce of prevention is worth a ton of cure. The prediction model will enable Defence to peer into the future and implement targeted deterrence strategies in order to continue securing Australia’s maritime borders,” said M&C Saatchi World Services Managing Director Matt Delahunty.
“In the long-term, the project aims to pre-empt threats and shorten detection and intervention times,” said University of Adelaide researcher Professor Lewis Mitchell.
Future customers of the capability include Defence and Government Departments responsible for preventing, deterring and intercepting irregular migration journeys.
Defence Trailblazer Executive Director Dr Sanjay Mazumdar said of the project, “The solution that will be developed will provide greater awareness of the maritime battlespace and improve the ability of Defence and national security agencies to use intelligence to make informed timely decisions to protect Australia’s maritime borders.”
The outcomes of this project are directly aligned with Defence’s Sovereign Defence Industrial Priority of enhancing battlespace awareness and management systems (SDIP 6), as well as helping to reduce the number of victims of human trafficking, in accordance with United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 16.2.2.
For more information, visit the M&C Saatchi World Services website.
Main image: A Royal Australian Navy MH-60R Seahawk prepares to land on the flight deck of HMAS Adelaide during Wet and Dry Environment Rehearsals at Cowley Beach Training Area. Image credit: CPL Michael Rogers, Department of Defence.
