News

New social media laws “pointless”

The government’s new social media laws it plans to rush through Parliament this week are “heavy-handed and pointless”, according to former government digital lead Paul Shetler. The federal government...

ACCC releases draft data rules

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has published its draft rules for the looming Consumer Data Right regime and is seeking feedback from consumers, businesses, and community organisations...

AA bill referred for independent review

The federal government’s highly controversial encryption legislation has been referred to an independent monitor for review by the parliament, the first time this has ever occurred. The Assistance and...

Dominello gets new delivery ministry

New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian has doubled-down on the state’s digital service delivery agenda with the creation of a new Customer Service ministry headed by Australia’s most outspoken...

Data sovereignty policy arrives

The Australian government quietly introduced on Friday afternoon a whole-of-government data hosting strategy to address immediate issues around risks to data sovereignty, data centre ownership and the supply chain....

Research grants to be reviewed

A future Shorten Government has promised it will end political interference in the Australian Research Council’s (ARC) grants process. “Bill Shorten has declared that if Labor wins the upcoming...

No govt EV strategy before mid-2020

The federal government not releasing its electric vehicles strategy until mid-2020 is “woefully inadequate and downright irresponsible”, independent senator Tim Storer said. Prime Minister Scott Morrison committed to developing...

ASD launches cyber recruitment blitz

Australia’s spy agency has opened up about its offensive cyber warfare capabilities as part of an effort to recruit “many hundreds of people” in the coming years. In a...

Lack of consulting undermined AA law

The federal government’s controversial encryption legislation had been undermined by an unseemly rush through the Parliament that throttled its industry consultation and a lack of awareness of the reality...

Labor will rewrite encryption laws

Federal Labor has committed to re-writing controversial encryption laws to reflect the recommendations of a parliamentary joint committee that was handed to Australia late last year. Opposition spokesman on...

Senetas ready to pull up stumps

Leading Australian encryption technology provider Senetas will move offshore unless a series of changes are made to the government’s highly controversial Assistance and Access laws, as the local tech...

Govt names data advisory board

The federal government has formed a data advisory group to help it find the “right balance” in making data available to departments while upholding privacy and confidentiality. The National...

PM threatens tech execs with jail

Facebook and other tech giants will face tough new legislation to force them to take down extremist content more quickly, with the attorney-general labeling their arguments for continued self-regulation...

Microsoft acts on extremist content

Microsoft has called for the tech sector to put aside rivalries and work together to better moderate and remove extremist content in the wake of the Christchurch terror attack....