George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Hansard source

Senator Ludlam, the bill does not prescribe that. What the bill prescribes is the obligation, and the obligation is described in terms of the data set required to be retained. As to the operation of the scheme from a technical point of view, that really is beyond the scope of the bill. It is not something on which I am going to respond to you. What this bill sets up is a scheme that works upon the application to a primary obligation defined in terms of the data set of the obligations of telecommunications companies. A technical question of that kind is well beyond the scope of the bill.