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Labor MPs want stronger clamp on new encryption laws

Several ALP MPs are pushing for even stronger safeguards surrounding new encryption laws.

Several Labor MPs have raised ­issues with the encryption laws this week.
Several Labor MPs have raised ­issues with the encryption laws this week.

Several ALP MPs have ­internally raised concerns about the details of a deal between Labor and the Liberal Party on encryption, pushing for even stronger safeguards.

At the same time, Attorney-General Christian Porter hit back at the technology and telecommunications industry railing against the government’s new encryption laws, targeting terrorists and paedophiles.

Opposition legal affairs spokesman Mark Dreyfus on Tuesday said a compromise had been reached with the government over the laws, which allow law enforcement greater access to encrypted apps and devices to stop terror ­attacks. The laws are expected to pass both houses of parliament by late today.

But The Australian has been told that some opposition MPs wanted the party to come to a final position only after it had been considered by a caucus committee and shadow cabinet.

The group of MPs is also pushing for the party to commit to consider stronger safeguards around the “technical capability notices”, which require technology companies to alter their technology to give authorities access to messages.

Digital economy spokesman Ed Husic and Victorian MP Tim Watts raised ­issues with the laws earlier this week.

Mr Husic told Sky News on Tuesday the technological solution the agencies were trying to use to access encrypted messages was difficult to achieve and it was important to get it right.

Telecommunications industry group Communications Alliance warned yesterday that the planned amendments to the legislation do not go far enough in tackling the risks posed by it.

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Original URL: https://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/national-security/labor-mps-want-stronger-clamp-on-new-encryption-laws/news-story/0b8e9d346b21ad0cac4846eebd5dd72f