Australia’s human rights commission has sounded a warning about the Abbott government’s counter-terrorism agenda, arguing a significant expansion of surveillance powers can undermine basic rights to privacy and free expression. The commission has used a submission to parliament’s joint committee on intelligence and security to raise a number of specific concerns about the first tranche of national security reforms currently before the parliament. This package gives Asio powers to surveil multiple computers, including whole networks; allows Asio agents (as well as police) to use force in operations; allows more coordination and information sharing between spy agencies on operations; and creates significantly tougher penalties against the disclosure of intelligence material. The human rights commission submission argues that in several instances the package – the first of a broad-ranging policy overhaul intended by the Coalition to strengthen Australia’s existing counter-terrorism framework – “goes beyond what can be reasonably justified”.
Posted on: Mon, 08 Sep 2014 09:05:20 +0000