Changes To Australia's Surveillance And Intelligence Laws

[iamhe77]

So I've received the following email and wondering if anyone has heard or is aware of the supposed changes?

Right now the Government is considering the most sweeping and radical changes to Australia's surveillance and intelligence laws since the establishment of the original laws in 1979.

The changes would give Australia's spy agency, ASIO, broad powers to gather unprecedented levels of data on Australian citizens, including monitoring your emails and posts on Twitter, Facebook and other social media accounts. Internet providers and websites would be forced to keep detailed records of everything you do online for at least 2 years, and be forced to turn this over to the government if requested - and all of this could potentially be done without a warrant.

We've put together an informative video to explain the changes. Watch the video to find out more about how your privacy could be invaded, and add your name to the petition asking the Government to protect us, but respect us:

http://www.getup.org.au/protect-us-but-respect-us

These changes are so controversial that Attorney-General Nicola Roxon is trying to rush them through the committee¹ - hoping they'll get through before we catch on to what's going on, without proper scrutiny.

Intelligence agencies play a vital role in protecting our national security, but that can't come at the expense of privacy and proper safeguards. These changes would treat everyone like criminals, seek to reduce the checks and balances governing the use of and access to intercepted communications, skirt the power of the courts, and give significant powers to the intelligence services and the Attorney-General.

GetUp members have successfully stood up for our privacy online in the past. When the Rudd Government tried to introduce a mandatory internet filter, GetUp members mobilised to ensure our internet is free from unsolicited government interference. Now we must again come together to protect our civil liberties.

These next few weeks are crucial as the Government's discussion paper is debated in committee and reported on to Parliament. With such a short time allowed for consultation, the Attorney-General and the Government are trying to rush this through Parliament and avoid public scrutiny.

[Cowboy1600]

What nonsense. I have a lot of respect for what GetUp is doing, but this is nonsense.

There is a Parliamentary Committee currently evaluating the European Directive to Data Retention to see if it could be useful in Australia. There is no proposal, no rushing, no sneaking. On top of that the Government is looking more and more like they are not fans of implementation. The further along this goes the more they are pouring cold water on it.

What is the most likely scenario, should something be implemented (which is becoming increasingly unlikely) is it will be on an "as needed' basis, that is the AFP will make a demand on an ISP/telco to start retaining data on a particular individual.

[Plattsy]

I can tell you that the government is already monitoring things you do on the internet.

for instance i was conducting research into a torpedo that the Australian government has bought and needed me to.... well i was researching this torpedo, when to my surprise a navy officer called me two days later to ask what my intentions where.

hmmmmm. ME SMELLS A CONSPIRACY!

[25GTT]

Australian government has bought and needed me to....

May i ask why you needed to buy a torpedo? In this instance actually sounds like a "pro" rather than a "con" if filtering is in place. Not sure i am too happy with random torpedo purchases to be honest.

Then again it would be great fun in my local pool. Charge $10 a ride!

[Plattsy]

At the price eurotorp charge for the m90 mate you might have to put the price up to 20! Haha!

But seriously you can sleep well, I'm legit It was for the defence force!

[Mayuri Krab]

TLDR

I only have 1 question...

Is it going to affect me pirating shit online?

[DivHunter]

I can tell you that the government is already monitoring things you do on the internet.

for instance i was conducting research into a torpedo that the Australian government has bought and needed me to.... well i was researching this torpedo, when to my surprise a navy officer called me two days later to ask what my intentions where.

hmmmmm. ME SMELLS A CONSPIRACY!

And what level of clearance had you recieved at this point?

[Plattsy]

just enough to get over a speed bump.

Edited August 3, 2012 by Plattsy