Mass surveillance and data retention: do the means justify the ends?

The Attorney-General’s Department released the Telecommunications (Interception and Access) Act 1979 – Annual Report. By MICHELLE MEARES.

By - 6 min read

Data, metadata & personal information: landmark Federal Court ruling

The Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) places legal obligations on businesses and government agencies. These obligations are triggered when data meets the definition of ‘personal information’….

By - 7 min read

Citizenship-stripping reforms open to challenge in spite of safeguards

The Australian Citizenship Amendment (Allegiance to Australia) Act 2015 (Cth), which creates three new ways in which dual citizens can be stripped of their Australian…

By - 7 min read

Of secrecy and enforcement: Australian Border Force Act

The Border Force Act 2015 (Cth) provides the legislative basis for the establishment of the Australian Border Force within the Department of Immigration and Border Protection. By…

By - 6 min read

National security reforms stage three: metadata (part three)

The Telecommunications (Interception and Access) Amendment (Data Retention) Bill 2014 (Cth) would establish a mandatory data retention regime requiring communications service providers to retain metadata…

By and - 6 min read

National security reforms stage two: foreign fighters (part two)

Three controversial counter-terrorism powers – control orders, preventative detention orders, and ASIO’s questioning and detention warrant powers – were due to expire under sunset clauses…

By and - 6 min read

National security reforms stage one: intelligence gathering and secrecy (part one)

The National Security Legislation Amendment Act (No 1) 2014 (Cth) allows ASIO officers operating under a single ‘computer access warrant’ to access data held on multiple computers…

By and - 6 min read