The Federal Government has named Major General Andrew Bottrell as its new commander of the Government’s anti-people smuggling effort, Operation Sovereign Borders.

Outgoing head of the operation, Lieutenant General Angus Campbell, said in January there had been no successful boat arrivals in Australia for six months, but he said asylum seekers were continuing to try to reach Australia.

“We intend to continue to be vigilant and to conduct our operations on a daily basis, and ensure that people smugglers no longer have a business to sell,” Lieutenant General Campbell said.

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He was last week promoted to Chief of Army, replacing David Morrison, who had been in the position for nearly four years.

Major General Bottrell has been in the defence force for more than 30 years and has been deployed on several overseas operations, including to Afghanistan in 2012.

Operation Sovereign Borders was implemented in September 2013, just 11 days after Prime Minister Tony Abbott and the Liberal National Party were elected to power.

The Operation Sovereign Borders campaign aims to fulfil the Government’s election promise to “stop the boats” by turning asylum seeker boats back from Australian waters.