Premier denies SA government is harvesting data for Liberal Party as Labor demands inquiry

The Premier says state government websites are not harvesting data for the Liberal Party, as it emerges users are being redirected via another site.

The State Government has not been tracking or collecting people’s data for the Liberal Party when they click on links on government websites, Premier Steven Marshall says.

Mr Marshall said reports his party had been using State Government websites to collect data were “false”.

“No data is being collected or retained when clicking on the links referred to in media reports," he said.

The Opposition is this morning expected to call for an independent inquiry into the matter.

It came after reports emerged people using State Government websites – for example, to check COVID vaccine updates or look up road safety information – were unwittingly being redirected via a Liberal Party site.

On Monday it was revealed people checking government press releases, then clicking links for more information are sent to the new link via a website “stateliberalleader.nationbuilder.com”, run by the Liberals.

Premier Steven Marshall says the state government is not harvesting the data of people using its websites for the Liberal Party. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Morgan Sette

A press release about funding for a vaccine trial to boost COVID-19 defences instructs people to click on a link for more information.

The website link is listed as www.sahealth.sa.gov.au/COVID2019, giving no indication it is redirected via to the Liberal “Nation Builder” site before reaching the SA Health website.

Concerns had been raised this meant people could unknowingly have their data “harvested” and subsequently used to influence their views at next year’s State Election.

Mr Marshall on Tuesday morning said it was likely that when parts of media releases were copied and pasted into SA Government websites, the original links were still being detected by a website analytics provider Mimecast.

“As Nationbuilder has confirmed this morning, ‘this URL is not redirecting any users to

NationBuilder’s platform – it is a reference link generated by Mimecast … and no data is being collected or retained when users click on these link’,” he said.

Mr Marshall said the government would now use a different system for sending media releases to journalists to “ensure that there is no confusion”.

Opposition accountability spokesman Tom Koutsantonis: “South Australians have every right to ask Steven Marshall what has happened to their private personal data.” Picture: AAP/Mark Brake

On Monday, government accountability spokesman Tom Koutsantonis said the redirection was a major political scandal.

“South Australians turn to State Government websites for trusted information, particularly during a global pandemic,” Mr Koutsantonis said.

“South Australians do not expect to be redirected to a Liberal Party website used for data harvesting purposes.

“South Australians have every right to ask Steven Marshall what has happened to their private personal data.

Labor was quick to capitalise on the scandal on social media, with MPs labelling it a bombshell and the party posting a “Privacy Alert” asking “What has happened to your private data?”

A government spokeswoman on Monday evening told The Advertiser how it happened.

“The Office of the Premier has never sought to include links to Nation Builder in government websites,” a government spokeswoman said.

“It appears that when media release text has been copied by government employees to government websites, this has accidentally occurred.

“Neither the Liberal Party nor the Office of the Premier was aware that this had inadvertently occurred. Steps have been taken to ensure this will no longer occur.”