Digital rights lobby group Electronic Frontiers Australia (EFA) has expressed its deep concern over the proposed changes to National Security legislation, which it says if passed, will implement a culture of surveillance akin to Iran or China.

 

EFA’s concerns stem from the release of the Federal Government’s Discussion Paper, which is now under consideration in Parliament.  EFA has expressed concern over the proposals contained within the paper, saying that it will allow for a massive expansion of surveillance activity across the entire spectrum of community and represents a threat to civil liberties for all Australians.

 

“It is of particular concern that with such a wide-ranging and potentially significant legislative reform, the community has been given a mere four weeks in which to digest the implications of the proposed changes and to make submissions to the Joint Committee,” the group said in a statement.

 

The Discussion Paper is available here (PDF, 689KB):http://aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/House_of_Representatives_Committees?url=pjcis/nsl2012/additional/discussion%20paper.pdf