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ARTICLE · 07 APRIL 2015

New data retention laws passed

Holding Redlich
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Australian ISPs and telcos will be required to retain prescribed consumer metadata for a minimum period of two years.

AustraliaPrivacy
Trent Taylor
Trent Taylor
Dan Pearce
Dan Pearce
Felicia Quagliata
Felicia Quagliata
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On 26 March 2015, the Telecommunications (Interception and Access) Amendment (Data Retention) Bill 2014 (Bill) passed Federal Parliament. The Bill, which amends the Telecommunications (Interception and Access) Act 1979 (TIA) and the Telecommunications Act 1997(Telecommunications Act) was introduced in October 2014 and later redrafted on the advice of the Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security (JCIS).

Operation of new laws

The Bill introduces statutory obligations on Australian Internet Service Providers and telecommunications carriers, who will be required to retain prescribed consumer metadata for a minimum period of two years. Currently, this data is retained for varying durations in an unregulated environment.

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