Roxon leaves door open on data retention

4 Sep 2012, 6:56 pm   -   Source: AAP

Attorney-General Nicola Roxon says there may be a case for retaining Australians' communications data to combat crime.

Attorney-General Nicola Roxon appears closer to supporting a controversial plan to store the communications data of all Australians to combat crime.

A joint parliamentary committee is looking into proposed national security reforms including a controversial proposal to retain data on people's phone and internet use.

Australian telecommunications and internet service providers would store all such data for up to two years under the plan.

Ms Roxon, who has said previously she was not convinced of the need for the move, told the Security in Government conference in Canberra on Tuesday there could be a case for data retention.

"Many investigations require law enforcement to build a picture of a criminal activity over a period of time - without data retention, this capability will be lost," she said.

The proposed reform would allow law enforcement agencies to continue investigating crime "in light of new technologies", she said.

She warned against letting new technology become a safe haven for criminals and terrorists and a no-go zone for law enforcers.

Ms Roxon told AAP it was a "balancing act between privacy and national security concerns".

The government had no interest in seeing every email people send or the websites they might access, she said.

"What we're talking about is those who are identified as being intent on causing harm," she said.

"We've been very open about what is being considered, and that's why we are yet to make a final decision. We want to do that with all of the information in front of us."

Retention of data would come at a cost for telecommunications companies, but Ms Roxon said it would not necessarily be passed onto consumers.

Australian Greens senator Scott Ludlam slammed Ms Roxon's "backflip" on data retention.

"It is premised on the unjustified paranoia that all Australians are potential criminal suspects," he said.

Senator Ludlam said the practice would entrench huge databases that could be mined for precise patterns of people's movements, purchases, interests, friends and conversations.

"We are citizens, not suspects," he said.

Earlier, Ms Roxon told the conference one of the greatest risks to the security of government computer systems would be from exploited or corrupted public servants.

While the threat of hackers breaking into databases had captured much public attention, a new protective framework was now being put in place to minimise risks from the inside.

"Combined, human factors and the online environment can create a very serious security threat," Ms Roxon said.

A criminal could lull an insider into a false sense of security through emails, websites, or identity documents crafted to look familiar and legitimate.

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