Industry Working for Clarity on Data Retention Proposal

Sydney, 26 August 2014: Australian Telecommunications Alliance and a group of its Carriage Service Provider (CSP) members are working with the Attorney General’s Department and the Department of Communications in an attempt to provide greater clarity and precision to a Government proposal for a data retention regime.
Such clarity is what the telecommunications industry called for in the wake of the Government’s 6 August announcement that it intended to create such a regime.

The telecommunications industry respects the needs of security agencies to be able to access data that is already retained for commercial purposes by CSPs and which is useful for the investigation of serious crime and/or national security issues – and, indeed, there is a long history of productive cooperation between security agencies and CSPs on such issues.

We are equally mindful of the need to balance this against the privacy and other rights of consumers and the potential additional costs that may be generated for Government, CSPs and/or consumers, depending on the nature of the regime and requirements that the Government may propose.

The telecommunications industry firmly believes it will be important for any proposal to be subject to appropriate public scrutiny and debate – and for such debate to be duly considered in any Government decision-making.

ABOUT COMMUNICATIONS ALLIANCE

Australian Telecommunications Alliance is the primary communications industry body in Australia. Its membership is drawn from a wide cross-section of the communications industry, including carriers, carriage and internet service providers, content providers, platform providers, equipment vendors, IT companies, consultants and business groups.

Its vision is to be the most influential association in Australian communications, co-operatively initiating programs that promote sustainable industry development, innovation and growth, while generating positive outcomes for customers and society.

The prime mission of Australian Telecommunications Alliance is to create a co-operative stakeholder environment that allows the industry to take the lead on initiatives which grow the Australian communications industry, enhance the connectivity of all Australians and foster the highest standards of business behaviour.

Media information contact:
info@austelco.org.au