Bugging the internet: Greens want more protection

James Riley
Tuesday, 02 February 2010 12:35

IT Policy - Government Tech Policy

The Greens will seek stronger privacy protections for Australians through amendments to a Government bill that grants broader powers for law enforcement and intelligence agencies to intercept internet traffic.

The Telecommunications (Interception and Access) Amendment Bill 2009 will be introduced in the Senate later today. Western Australian Greens Senator Scott Ludlam will propose three sets amendments it developed when the bill was in committee.

Senator Ludlam said the whole purpose of the Telecommunications Interception Act was to protect the privacy of the Australians that used the network - the Act makes it an offence to intercept internet traffic and sets out very specific conditions in which law enforcement is allowed to intercept traffic.

He says the proposed Bill contains too many loosely defined terms, and there is too much discretion given to the operators of networks to intercept communications traffic and disclose their contents to others.

Senator Ludlam said there needed to be a balance struck between the protection of computer networks and the protection of privacy.

The Greens issued a dissenting report in November alongside a Senate committee report on the proposed changed to the Telecommunications Interception Act. At that time, Senator Ludlam said the party did not share the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee's view that the proposals to increase the powers of law enforcement would not infringe people's privacy.