iTWire Wednesday, 09 June 2021 11:33 AFP demonstrates no further powers needed in fight against encryption Featured Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay
ANALYSIS The Australian Federal Police appears to have provided the best possible argument for not passing federal bills that seek to enhance its powers, following the provision of details about using existing Australian encryption laws to read the encrypted messages of criminal gangs and take them down.
The AFP
mentioned on Tuesday how it has used the laws passed in December 2018 to decrypt messages which were circulated within an app that had been used in a sting. Known as AN0M, the app was put out into circulation by a known criminal and then picked up by various others in the loop.
I spy with my little eye: another blow to privacy in Australia
A proposed law would make it quicker and easier for a network of nations to exchange surveillance data on people within their countries.
(Image: Getty)
A new law that would help foreign governments surveil people in Australia has been given the tick of approval from Parliament’s security committee pending a list of proposed changes that would add additional safeguards and beef up oversight.
If passed, the law would make it quicker and easier for a network of nations to exchange telecommunications data obtained via real-time wiretapping, stored communications or records belonging to its citizens and those from foreign nations.
The Telecommunications Legislation Amendment (International Production Orders) Bill 2020, introduced on 5 March, seeks to address Australia’s evolving technological landscape where data previously held in the country is now stored overseas.
Its Explanatory Memorandum states that Australian law enforcement and national security agencies need access to electronic and communications data from foreign communications providers for criminal investigations. Currently, the country has relied on mutual legal assistance from overseas jurisdictions, which it calls a “lengthy process”.
For requests received from foreign governments with a designated international agreement, the bill would remove the blocking provisions that prevent domestic communication providers and tech companies from cooperating with a request from a foreign government, when the request complies with the conditions of the designated international agreement.
By Justin Hendry on May 12, 2021 1:05AM
Budget 2021: Govt opens wallet ahead of election.
Government agencies have scored funding for a range technology projects, mostly aimed at improving service delivery, in this year’s pandemic recovery-fuelled and pre-election budget.
With most IT-related funding contained within the digital economy strategy announced ahead of time, distinctly fewer centrepiece initiatives were to be found on budget night than in previous years.
As revealed last week, the government will pour around half a billion dollars into myGov and the My Health Record system, as well as $54 million into a national AI centre, as part of a combined $1.2 billion package.