APN reports:
The Abbott government appears another step closer to forcing internet service providers and phone companies to retain users’ metadata for up to two years.
Plans for data retention, encouraged by Australia’s intelligence community, are already being actively considered by the government, as part of a Senate inquiry.
But the plans, which senior government members remain divided about, have been consistently hosed down by Prime Minister Tony Abbott and Attorney-General George Brandis.
Data retention was mooted by Labor more than two years ago, before they were shelved amid fears of personal privacy breaches.
But the proposal has remained on the agenda, with Australian Security Intelligence Organisation chief David Irvine just three weeks ago confirming they were being “actively considered”.
Read more on The Observer.
Update: Leanne O’Donnell has been tweeting about this issue, including a link to this article:
ISPs still wondering what Government means by metadata. See her timeline for other tweets on the topic.