Phone and email records stored for two years under new metadata laws

POLICE say a new bill that allows your phone and email records to be stored for two years could “absolutely” be used to crack down on piracy of TV shows and movies.

CONTROVERSIAL laws to store your metadata for two years have been introduced into Parliament by Malcolm Turnbull.

The Communications Minister stressed the legislation does not relate to storing content, but rather the information to do with communication — such as emails and telephone calls.

“Access to content, I stress … requires a warrant,” he told the Lower House this morning.

Mr Turnbull said access to metadata plays a “central role” in almost all counter terrorism, counter espionage, cyber security and organised crime investigations.

“The use of this kind of metadata therefore is not new.”

The information could also be used to help police crack down on internet piracy.

“Illegal downloads, piracy, cyber crimes, cyber security, all these matters - our ability to investigate them is absolutely pinned to our ability to retrieve and use metadata,” Australian Federal Police Commissioner Andrew Colvin said.

Nothing new ... Malcolm Turnbull says the government cannot sit by while security agencies lose access to our metadata.

Service providers are keeping “fewer records” for “shorter periods of time”, he said.

“No responsible government can sit by while those who protect our community lose access to the tools they need to do their job, Mr Turnbull said.

“In the current threat environment we cannot let this problem get worse.”

He said the two year period has been determined after advice from law enforcement and security agencies.

Mr Turnbull conceded there were concerns about “privacy” and said the legislation would be reviewed by a Senate committee.

“The Act will expressly exclude a person’s web browsing history and providers will not be required to keep detailed location records that could allow a persons movements to be tracked.”

The Minister said the government would continue to negotiate with Telcos on the scheme.

“This Bill does not provide agencies with new powers to access communications data.

“The Bill simply ensures that data will continue to be available to agencies as part of legitimate investigations, subject to the same strict limits that currently apply.”

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