The federal government has pushed through unprecedented powers for ASIO to copy and delete files and monitor unlimited numbers of private citizens’ computers, and jail journalists for national security reporting.
The Greens voted against the bill, slamming the new measures as extreme and a relentless expansion of powers of surveillance on citizens.
What we’ve seen is a disproportionate and rushed expansion of coercive surveillance powers that are not proven to make anybody any safer, but will affect our freedoms that have been hard won over decades.
The new laws expand the power of ASIO allowing it the power to access and modify, copy or delete data on an unlimited number of third-party computers that may be related to a suspect – that is, computers of individuals who may be completely innocent of any crime.
Labor has sold out by helping the Abbott government obtain these unprecedented powers, which amount to massive over-reach.
We know that big brother surveillance won’t necessarily make Australia any safer. These are unprecedented powers that invade the privacy of all Australians for no proven security benefit.
Dawn Walker, Australian Greens
Contact, Dawn Walker: 0411 404
