Hacker fears over Australia's net data plan

PRIVACY advocates say a government proposal to keep all of Australia's internet and telephone information for two years would create a ''honey pot'' for hackers and criminals.

Victoria's Privacy Commissioner warned a joint parliamentary committee yesterday that civil rights and privacy would never have a chance if governments always put national security above all other rights.

Commissioner Anthony Bendall was speaking in Melbourne to a joint committee into proposed reforms to national security legislation. Increasing the amount of data stored would increase the data's attractiveness to criminals, he added. Attorney-General Nicola Roxon has released a discussion paper that included proposals to make telcos retain all telephonic and internet data of all Australians for up to two years.