Australia setting itself up as Five Eyes' weakest link
Australia’s proposed decryption laws would make it the “weakest link” in the Five Eyes alliance and therefore a “funnel” for international requests for data, the Law Council of Australia has warned.
In a submission on Australia's Assistance and Access Bill 2018, the Council - which acts on behalf of 60,000-plus lawyers in Australia - raised concerns at the extent of vague and “intrusive powers” being canvassed with limited if any judicial oversight.
The Council wants the proposed laws significantly tightened, cutting out broad catch-all clauses that could open a range of organisations up to costly - even illegal - demands from Australian authorities. In introducing the bill to parliament last week, the government cut out revenue protection as a reason that the proposed decryption laws could be used.
