Australia Grants Law Enforcement New Powers to Hack Suspects’ Devices and Accounts

The Australian Senate has approved an expansion of law enforcement powers, allowing authorities to take unprecedented measures against suspects. These measures include hacking into personal computers and networks, controlling online accounts, and accessing data.

“With these changes, the Australian Federal Police will have more tools to pursue organized criminal groups that distribute drugs and commit the most heinous crimes against children,” said Australia’s Minister for Home Affairs, Karen Andrews.

Senator and party member Lidia Thorpe explained, “The legislation will allow intelligence agencies to alter, copy, or delete your data with a single warrant and collect information about your online activity with another. Law enforcement will also be able to take over your social media and other accounts and profiles with a third type of warrant.”

Previously, the Joint Parliamentary Committee on Intelligence and Security had recommended limiting the issuance of warrants to crimes against national security (such as money laundering, serious drug offenses, cybercrime, arms trafficking, and links to criminal organizations) and crimes against humanity. However, the revised bill does not include these proposed amendments.

Andrew Giles, Shadow Assistant Minister for Immigration, stated that the government is “mischaracterizing the scope of the new powers”:

“It’s obviously much easier to justify introducing such powers by focusing on the most serious types of crimes. No one would argue against them in cases of child abuse, exploitation, or terrorism. But there needs to be a clearer justification for introducing extraordinary powers, considering how they might be applied in practice.”