Police and spy agencies have better things to do than use new metadata laws to chase people illegally downloading Game of Thrones, says Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull.
Australian Federal Police Commissioner Andrew Colvin on Thursday suggested metadata was crucial to being able to investigate not only terrorism but "illegal downloads, piracy and cybercrimes".
The comment has sparked debate over the scope of the new laws.
But Mr Turnbull said police and spy agency ASIO have higher priorities.
"The Australian Federal Police and ASIO frankly are not interested in whether you are illegally downloading a copy of the Game of Thrones," he told ABC television on Friday.
"That's a bad thing to do, but I can tell you our national security agencies have got other things on their mind."
The government's third tranche of anti-terrorism legislation would require companies to hold on to metadata - background information about calls and internet usage but not the content itself - for at least two years.
Telcos already collect metadata for the purposes of billing, however many delete the information due to the cost of retaining it.
Mr Turnbull said the policy was purely about "standardising an existing practice" and the government wasn't going after people breaching copyright.
Opposition Leader Bill Shorten said he had only seen the draft bill for the first time on Thursday and it needed further scrutiny.
"We need to hear evidence from the security agencies but we also should hear evidence from telcos, from civil liberties groups and ordinary Australians," Mr Shorten said.
"There is a balancing act here between the ability of the police and the security agencies doing their job, but at the same time we have to make sure there is not unintended consequence which go to the liberty of Australians."
He said the government also needed to clarify who would pay for implementing the scheme.
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