Immigration Minister Scott Morrison (SBS) Immigration Minister Scott Morrison (SBS)

Details of a new 'super agency' to handle border protection have been unveiled by Immigration Minister Scott Morrison.

The agency, called the Australian Border Force, is set to replace Customs by mid-2015.

In an address the Lowy Institute on the future of border protection, Mr Morrison also acknowledged that authorities have been turning back boats, “where it is safe to do so”.

Mr Morrison said the new agency will be led by a Commissioner who will then report directly to the Minister.

He described the Australia Border Force as “a single frontline operational border agency to enforce our Customs and Immigration laws and to protect our border”.

“We will reverse the erosion of our border resources by reinvesting the fiscal dividend of our successful border protection policies and further reforms back into border protection,” he said.

“And [reinvesting] back into a more integrated, effective, efficient border protection operation.”

He said establishing a single border agency was not a new idea and was formulated after examining UK and US models.

An Australian Border Force college will also be established to train new staff.

Mr Morrison also took aim at critics of the Coalition’s immigration policies during his address.

“Our policies are working,” he said.

“We are doing what we said we’d do…The boats are stopping.”