10/2/2014
SYDNEY – The Australian Parliament Wednesday granted more powers to its secret service agencies to monitor the web by approving the first of three sections of new anti-terrorism laws.
The controversial National Security Legislation Amendment Bill was approved in the House of Representatives after being given the go-ahead by the Senate last Thursday.
“The government’s number one priority is to keep Australia safe,” Justice Minister Michael Keenan said in defense of the laws which were criticized during the debate by members of the Australian Greens, two independent legislators and one from the Labor Party.
The most important update of security laws since the 1970s will allow intelligence agencies to secure the powers and capacities needed to carry out their work in a “new era of danger,” according to the government of conservative Prime Minister Tony Abbott.
Under the new law, the Australian Security Intelligence Organization (ASIO) will be able to search, monitor, copy, erase or modify data in computers or access a computer that is part of a network through a third party, all with a single warrant.
“ASIO will have access to the entire web and will be able to monitor the activity of all Australians at any moment, whether through their Twitter and Facebook accounts, the webpages they visit, their communications with other people, everything,” Australian Lawyer’s Association president Greg Barns recently told Efe.
The amendments approved Wednesday also include up to 10-year sentences for informants and journalists who disclose information pertaining to special intelligence operations, and limited immunity for secret agents participating in such operations.
This month, a parliamentary committee on intelligence and security will analyze the second batch of laws concerning Australian citizens fighting in the ranks of jihadist groups abroad, while another law related to the collection of metadata will be addressed at the end of the year.
Last month, Australia raised the terrorist alert level to “high” amid an international offensive against the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq for which the country is providing humanitarian aid and weapons.
source
SYDNEY – The Australian Parliament Wednesday granted more powers to its secret service agencies to monitor the web by approving the first of three sections of new anti-terrorism laws.
The controversial National Security Legislation Amendment Bill was approved in the House of Representatives after being given the go-ahead by the Senate last Thursday.
“The government’s number one priority is to keep Australia safe,” Justice Minister Michael Keenan said in defense of the laws which were criticized during the debate by members of the Australian Greens, two independent legislators and one from the Labor Party.
The most important update of security laws since the 1970s will allow intelligence agencies to secure the powers and capacities needed to carry out their work in a “new era of danger,” according to the government of conservative Prime Minister Tony Abbott.
Under the new law, the Australian Security Intelligence Organization (ASIO) will be able to search, monitor, copy, erase or modify data in computers or access a computer that is part of a network through a third party, all with a single warrant.
“ASIO will have access to the entire web and will be able to monitor the activity of all Australians at any moment, whether through their Twitter and Facebook accounts, the webpages they visit, their communications with other people, everything,” Australian Lawyer’s Association president Greg Barns recently told Efe.
The amendments approved Wednesday also include up to 10-year sentences for informants and journalists who disclose information pertaining to special intelligence operations, and limited immunity for secret agents participating in such operations.
This month, a parliamentary committee on intelligence and security will analyze the second batch of laws concerning Australian citizens fighting in the ranks of jihadist groups abroad, while another law related to the collection of metadata will be addressed at the end of the year.
Last month, Australia raised the terrorist alert level to “high” amid an international offensive against the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq for which the country is providing humanitarian aid and weapons.
source
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