Data retention Bill will have ‘chilling effect’ on journalists and press freedom, union warns
Proposed laws requiring telecommunication companies to disclose details of phone calls to police have been branded as “outrageous attack on press freedom” by the union representing journalists, as it continued to wage war against draconian efforts to reform national security legislation.
The Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance (MEAA) said the Telecommunications (Interceptions and Access) Amendment (Data Retention) Bill 2014 will have a “chilling effect” on reporters and their ability to protect confidential sources.
The effect will be to discourage whistle blowers from coming forward amid fears they will later be identified and exposed, MEAA federal secretary Chris Warren warned.
The bill will demand that telecommunications service providers must keep information, or metadata, for two years and must be made available to police and other agencies.
(Good) journalists now have to encrypt all their data, to protect themselves and their sources from the Government.
That’s right. We’re living in a police state.
Why would anyone believe the Attorney-General when he says he won’t prosecute journalists when the government is being kept busy breaking promises? Then there is the other reality which is Brandis will not the Attorney-General for very long. Who will be the next person in the job and will they be happy to prosecute journalists?
The week they say they will reduce red tape, they get out the reddist of red tape.
Vote them out, using social channels. On that note, will it be possible for Murdoch to sway elections in 10 years time? Or is that the reason for this LNP red tape?