Coronavirus: Voluntary tracking app a ‘sacrifice on the path to normality’, says Scott Morrison

Scott Morrison says a voluntary COVID-19 tracking app may be a sacrifice the nation needs to stop the spread of coronavirus.

Scott Morrison: ‘You wouldn’t be mandatorily required to sign up to these apps; that’s not how Australia works’. Picture: AAP

Scott Morrison says a voluntary COVID-19 tracking app may be a sacrifice the nation needs to stop the spread of the coronavirus and put the country on a path back to normality.

The Prime Minister said on Wednesday that Australians would not be forced to sign up for the soon-to-be-released app, but he expected significant uptake because people were eager for the economy to open up again as quickly as possible.

“You wouldn’t be mandatorily required to sign up to these apps; that’s not how Australia works,” Mr Morrison said. “(But) if people believed and understood that if we could trace people's contacts quicker, and tracked down the corona­virus faster and saved ­people's lives … we could open our economy up more.”

He said at least 40 per cent of Australians would need to download and sign up for the app, modelled on a tool developed by the Singaporean government, to successfully help authorities trace COVID-19.

While Cyber Security Co-­operative Research Centre chief executive Rachael Falk said the system could help stem the spread of the illness, it was imperative the government provided clear assurances that personal data would be protected at all times.

“There is no doubt that embracing these technologies that are constantly being honed can help Australia and the world,” Ms Falk said. “However, getting sec­urity right is vital. What we’re talking about is a treasure trove of data — who talks to each other, who connects with each other — all in one big data pot.

“While not wanting security to slow the build down, in this case any agile approach must provide clear assurances personal data will be protected at all times.”

Deputy Labor leader Richard Marles and opposition legal affairs spokesman Mark Dreyfus said the government had not yet consulted Labor about the technology.

Mr Dreyfus said it was unlikely the program would work “unless Australians have trust, have confidence, that their privacy is going to be protected if they upload this app on to their phones”.

Communications Minister Paul Fletcher said the app would proceed only if the government were satisfied with privacy safeguards.

“Can I emphasise that the decision the government undertakes here will have due regard to privacy issues?” Mr Fletcher said. “That’s a matter the Attorney-General and the government is very focused on.”

Mr Morrison said the app would record where a user was, who they were in proximity to and for how long. He said if a user were diagnosed with COVID-19, anyone else who had the app installed and was recorded as spending 15 minutes or more near the confirmed case would then be contacted by health authorities informing them of their risk.

“The health authorities … would be the only ones who’d have access to that data,” he said.