Australian Government Rejects Data Retention Law After Report

mask.of.sanity writes "The Australian Government has shelved its plans to proactively store communications data of every citizen ostensibly to assist with law enforcement and intelligence efforts. The shelving (video) comes after a scathing report by Australian parliamentarians who investigated the Government's plans, and three months ahead of a federal election in which the Government is expected to lose office."

Re:The US is doing the same

[FatLittleMonkey]

It might examine only a few thousand by hand, but it is all being recorded.

Data mining isn't "examining a few thousand by hand". It's the analysis on the mass data that matters. You may drill down to specific emails/calls/transfers/etc, but to know which ones, you need to be able to map entire networks of associations.

This is not like the cameras on an ATM that stores unwatched images unless a specific event prompts someone to look at a specific time. Your personal data is not being blindly stored on these systems, unwatched since you've done nothing anyone cares about, it is being analysed along with everyone else's.

Re:Why can't this happen in the US

[Mitreya]

In other countries, occationally orwellian laws are blocked by elected officials.

In the US, they all shrug and try to explain away our rights.

Not at all. When the outrage gets too loud (think SOPA and the ilk), laws will be temporarily stopped and shelved, only to be re-introduced piece-by-piece in "Think of Rainbows And Puppies Act"

I assume this is what is happening there -- a full law could not be passed openly, so it will be re-built quietly piece-by-piece later.

More links on story

[Anonymous Coward]

"The Australian Attorney-General Department's pig-headed push for Internet data retention were rejected by an Intelligence Oversight Committee for being vague and violating civil liberties. Greens Senator Scott Ludlam said the government needs to get the message and drop the scheme, and warned data retention could be used by PRISM. Head Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus says data retention is off the agenda for now, though when the last AG made a similar promise they caught everyone off guard and passed new laws 12 days later"

http://www.crikey.com.au/2013/06/24/national-security-inquiry-declines-to-endorse-data-retention [crikey.com.au]
http://www.crikey.com.au/2013/06/24/keane-a-debate-we-had-to-have-on-security-measures [crikey.com.au]
http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/465679/data_retention_needs_oversight_inquiry/ [computerworld.com.au]
http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/465152/australia_suspected_prism_data_ludlam/ [computerworld.com.au]
http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/roxon-puts-web-surveillance-plans-on-ice-20120809-23x9l.html [smh.com.au]
http://www.itnews.com.au/News/312771,senate-passes-lite-data-retention-laws.aspx [itnews.com.au]

The government is expected to lose office
Yes they are, but the opposition hasn't ruled out doing the same thing.

Re:Democracy works!

[bloodhawk]

Normally I doubt the influence world public opinion has on moronic pollies, But I suspect in this instance this is actually correct. The current government has tried to get other orwellian legislation passed including internet filters so them actually being against it themselves is unlikely. I think Snowden has highlighted how unpopular such ideas are and with a government that is almost certainly getting thrown out for incompetence come september they hardly need another nail in their coffin.

Re:The current government is doomed.

[Capsaicin]

Yet you still wind up with a government that's competing with the UK and USA for the Police State Award.

Do we?!

I mean the inept Australian government actually felt it necessary to go to parliament to get legislative power to do what the UK and USA Police states just went ahead and did.

In Australia we were displeased because we were informed about the government's intentions. The US and UK governments did not see fit similarly to displease their respective constituents. The Australian government has backed down in the face of both public and parliamentary opposition to the plan. Do you seriously believe the US or the UK are about dismantle their machinery? For all the articles the Guardian may publish?

Not much of a competition I would say.

Democracy ... I'm occasionally hopeful that it might work after all.

Re:The current government is doomed.

[mjwx]

Aussies in general are reluctant to get involved in their own governance.

This is what is going to cause Australia to follow the rest of the world into economic, social and environmental disaster. Many people (Australians) I speak to feel that we need to change the government, but when you ask them why they have little to no idea what the government actually does or how it works. The government we have now has not done a great job, but they have done extremely well considering the global issues going on - but many Australians tend to care nothing about the rest of the world unless it's broadcast in prime time in a sitcom format.

This,

The Labor government hasn't done a terribly good job, but it was passable. However the Murdoch run press wants to paint it as the end of the world.

Really, I view the Murdoch press as a greater threat to Australia than all the politicians put together... Murdoch ultimately does not have to answer to the constituents.

Re:The current government is doomed.

[Gideon Fubar]

I've never understood why some people are so concerned about big government but then give monopolies to big businesses.