An interesting story out of Australia. How do you suppose a similar scheme would be used against American gun owners, hmmmmm?
26/11/99 05:41
Parliament passes ASIO bill
William Maher, Newswire
Parliament has passed laws that allow the Australian Security
Intelligence
Organisation (ASIO) to tap into and alter data on private computer
systems.
The ASIO Amendment Bill 1999 passed the Senate yesterday, giving
federal authorities the power to tap into private computer systems for
surveillance purposes. This is the first time in 13 years a major change
has
been made to the ASIO Act 1979.
While the legislation gained bipartisan support, some members expressed
concern that bill was rushed through Parliament. Senator Bolkus noted
yesterday that the Senate had waited four or five months to debate the
bill.
"We could have spent more time in the analysis period," he said in
Parliament.
Labor has also expressed concern that the law allows ASIO to add, delete
or alter data on remote computers. An amendment has subsequently been
made that says data can only be altered if it is "necessary" to obtain
access to data.
The change hasn't appeased the Democrats, who claim that the new law is
a serious breach of Australians' privacy. Deputy leader Senator Natasha
Stott Despoja said that the laws could be intentionally misused to plant
evidence. "The government has found quite a convenient excuse for
significant new excursions into personal surveillance," she said.
Privacy groups are angry that the bill gives ASIO the power to tap into
private computer systems. Consumer group Financial Services Consumer
Policy Centre has previously called on the Senate to reject the bill,
claiming
it contains "serious flaws".
This article is located at http://www.newswire.com.au/9911/asio.htm
Note also the story within the story on how this was discovered, after the government attempted to cover it up, at:
http://www.newswire.com.au/apcweb/news.nsf/def5c94fb1fc5ea6ca25647b00461aa4/96d84d5f3f7c283c4a2566f80006f0a4?OpenDocument
Copyright 1999 Australian Consolidated Press. All rights reserved.
[This message has been edited by jimpeel (edited November 29, 1999).]
26/11/99 05:41
Parliament passes ASIO bill
William Maher, Newswire
Parliament has passed laws that allow the Australian Security
Intelligence
Organisation (ASIO) to tap into and alter data on private computer
systems.
The ASIO Amendment Bill 1999 passed the Senate yesterday, giving
federal authorities the power to tap into private computer systems for
surveillance purposes. This is the first time in 13 years a major change
has
been made to the ASIO Act 1979.
While the legislation gained bipartisan support, some members expressed
concern that bill was rushed through Parliament. Senator Bolkus noted
yesterday that the Senate had waited four or five months to debate the
bill.
"We could have spent more time in the analysis period," he said in
Parliament.
Labor has also expressed concern that the law allows ASIO to add, delete
or alter data on remote computers. An amendment has subsequently been
made that says data can only be altered if it is "necessary" to obtain
access to data.
The change hasn't appeased the Democrats, who claim that the new law is
a serious breach of Australians' privacy. Deputy leader Senator Natasha
Stott Despoja said that the laws could be intentionally misused to plant
evidence. "The government has found quite a convenient excuse for
significant new excursions into personal surveillance," she said.
Privacy groups are angry that the bill gives ASIO the power to tap into
private computer systems. Consumer group Financial Services Consumer
Policy Centre has previously called on the Senate to reject the bill,
claiming
it contains "serious flaws".
This article is located at http://www.newswire.com.au/9911/asio.htm
Note also the story within the story on how this was discovered, after the government attempted to cover it up, at:
http://www.newswire.com.au/apcweb/news.nsf/def5c94fb1fc5ea6ca25647b00461aa4/96d84d5f3f7c283c4a2566f80006f0a4?OpenDocument
Copyright 1999 Australian Consolidated Press. All rights reserved.
[This message has been edited by jimpeel (edited November 29, 1999).]