No justification for society-wide mandatory data retention scheme
EFA is alarmed that Cabinet’s National Security Committee has signed off on the fast-track implementation of a mandatory data retention scheme, apparently citing the ‘rising threat of home grown terrorism’. The Daily Telegraph reports [paywalled] that the government is believed to be seeking “an interim data retention measure…to be introduced as early as September to […]
New intelligence powers: what’s included
By Thomas Karpiniec, Chair of EFA’s Policy & Research Standing Committee. Last week, Attorney-General George Brandis introduced an omnibus bill to the Senate that seeks to update the legislation governing the operations of Australia’s intelligence services. Three weeks ago, we reviewed the proposals that were expected to be included in this tranche of legislation. The […]
Australians deserve a surveillance oversight inquiry
Ever since Edward Snowden’s first NSA spying revelations, the Australian Signals Directorate (formerly Defence Signals Directorate, DSD hereafter) has been implicated as a complicit ‘Five Eyes‘ partner. The Guardian has today released shocking new information from Snowden showing just how complicit DSD has been. These latest revelations involve documentation of a ‘Five Eyes‘ information sharing meeting hosted by Britain’s GCHQ […]
War on the Internet video
This excellent video explaining many of the threats to our online freedoms has been put together by CCedRoxon (Twitter: @CCedRoxon).
EFA’s evidence to Parliament on National Security proposals
Two weeks ago, on 5th September, long-standing EFA Board Member Andrew Pam appeared before the Federal Parliament’s Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security. The Committee is reviewing the Attorney-General’s Discussion Paper on proposed changes to National Security laws, including the proposal for blanket data retention. Parliament has finally published the transcript of this hearing, […]