Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Opposition Business in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

I will be brief. Senator Ellison makes a case for a stored communications regime. Labor support a stored communications regime. What we do not support is the agencies outside the core law enforcement agencies being able to access stored communications covertly. That is the word, ‘covertly’—in other words, directly to the ISP without the knowledge of the intended recipient. Those other agencies have the ability, and will continue to have the ability, to access computers, emails and software with the knowledge of the recipient. It is the ‘covert’ point which is the point of difference here between the coalition and Labor arguments. Labor say that the coalition’s position strikes the wrong balance. Labor say that our position, reflected in our amendments, effectively ensures that the privacy protections are there and the balance is there, as the committee found.