[LINK] Government decides against data retention (for now)

[Jan Whitaker]

Government shelves controversial data retention scheme

Ben Grubb
Published: June 24, 2013 - 6:35PM

A controversial "data retention" scheme that 
would have allowed Australians' internet and 
telephone activities to be stored for up to two 
years for law enforcement purposes has been 
shelved by the federal government after an 
inquiry that did not recommend the scheme go ahead.

The committee looking into the proposal – the 
most controversial among more than 40 others – as 
part of an inquiry into national security delivered its report on Monday.

After the report's release, Attorney-General Mark 
Dreyfus said the government would not pursue data 
retention legislation "at this time".

The government would now await further advice 
from the relevant agencies and a comprehensive 
consultation before proceeding further, he said.

Although the committee recommended ways a data 
retention scheme should be run, it said it was up 
to the government to decide whether it should be implemented.

If the government decided later to pursue data 
retention, the report suggested it publish an 
exposure draft of any legislation and refer it to 
the parliamentary joint committee on intelligence and security for examination.

The report said that if data retention was 
introduced, the government should reimburse 
providers for the cost of running it.

Data stored should be encrypted and stored for 
only two years maximum and not include web 
browsing histories. There should also be 
oversight of the agencies who accessed it.

[snip...more at the link
http://www.theage.com.au/technology/technology-news/government-shelves-controversial-data-retention-scheme-20130624-2oskq.html


Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
jwhit at janwhitaker.com
blog: http://janwhitaker.com/jansblog/
business: http://www.janwhitaker.com

Our truest response to the irrationality of the 
world is to paint or sing or write, for only in such response do we find truth.
~Madeline L'Engle, writer

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