Natex

Natex

National Counter-Terrorism Exercises involve the Australian Federal Government and all States and Territories designed to test Australia's counter-terrorism response arrangements. Australia's national counter-terrorism arrangements are well practised with major exercises held annually. The Department of Home Affairs manages the Counter-Terrorism Capability Branch in the Centre for Counter-Terrorism Coordination which supports the Australia-New Zealand Counter-Terrorism Committee (ANZCTC) who run the exercise program. The exercise was formerly named National Anti-Terrorism Exercise (NATEX). The program includes tactical response exercises, discussion exercises, investigation and consequence management exercises and multi-jurisdictional exercises. Such incidents practised include recapturing buildings, freeing hostages, cordoning off areas or responding to a chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear or explosive attack. Exercises of various types are tested and run several times per year, testing various elements of the Australian Defence Force such as the Tactical Assault Group (West & East) and the Special Operations Engineer Regiment within the Special Operations Command. Exercises involve various elements of State/Territory Police Forces such as their respective Police Tactical Group and various intelligence agencies and units such as ASIO. As well as involving various elements of the Federal Government exercises also test the capability, co-ordination and response of the State/Territory Government, State Emergency Services, the Department of Home Affairs, the Australian Defence Force, the Australian Federal Police and other Commonwealth agencies. Exercises are tailored to prepare for specific events such as the 2000 Sydney Olympic games, 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games and the 2007 Sydney APEC forum.

Update this biography »
Complete biography of Natex »