Australian MPs to debate expediting message encryption laws

The Australian Security Intelligence Organisation and the Australian Federal Police were due to attend a meeting of the Parliament's intelligence and security committee on 26 November, to determine whether new laws that force technology companies to help the agencies access encrypted messages needs to be fast-tracked. Bill Shorten, leader of the opposition said the Labor party would take the time needed to get the laws passed correctly, first time. However, Prime Minister Scott Morrison has demanded the laws are passed before Christmas.

Australia’s spy and police agencies are set to enter a politically charged debate over whether far-reaching laws to help authorities access encrypted messages of terrorism and criminal suspects need to be rushed through before Christmas.

ASIO, the Australian Federal Police and other organisations have been called back to Parliament’s intelligence and security committee on Monday, in part to give a view on whether the laws’ passage need to be accelerated.

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten on Friday said Labor would take the time needed to get the laws right after Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton wrote to the intelligence committee asking it to “accelerate” its work. Prime Minister Scott Morrison has also said he “would insist” on the laws being passed in the 2018’s final parliamentary sitting fortnight.

The legislation will compel technology companies to help authorities access the content of communications sent by suspects in terrorism and serious criminal case. Police and spy agencies have warned they are increasingly blind to messages on platforms such as WhatsApp and Telegram, which use end-to-end encryption.