senate - News, Features, and Slideshows

News

• Terror streaming bill 'rams through' parliament

  ​Legislation that will see social media companies and executives face hefty fines with jail time for failing quickly remove violent content from their platforms.

• ‘Security incident’ forces MPs to reset passwords

  ​A ‘security incident’ has hit the parliamentary computing network, the system used by MPs, senators and their staff.

• AustCyber to help cyber industry 'minimise economic impact' of encryption bill

  AustCyber says it will work with businesses of all sizes to ensure the encryption bill is implemented “in a way that minimises the economic impact” upon them.

• Encryption crackdown backdown? Senate backs strong encryption tech

  The Senate has called on the government to back the use of strong encryption technologies and resist attempts to weaken them.

• Visa changes “hurt us directly” says Atlassian’s Cannon-Brookes

  Atlassian co-founder Mike Cannon-Brookes today slammed the government’s changes to the skilled migration visa system, saying the move had “hurt us directly”.

• A new type of scrutineer needed for Senate elections

  There are few processes as critical to the smooth running of a society than the electoral process. It's a procedure in which we must all trust.

• Anti-piracy bill could block foreign sites

  New piracy laws mean it could soon be harder for Australians to illegally download their favourite shows and music.
  

• Greens seek amendments to data retention bill

  The Australian Greens on Tuesday announced proposed amendments to the data retention regime to address major privacy and security protections that it claims are being stripped away by the Abbott/Shorten surveillance unity ticket.
  

• ASIO head says government is no Big Brother

  ASIO is not carrying out mass surveillance of average citizens and the agency is subject to an appropriate level of oversight, according to the organisation's head David Taylor Irvine, director-general of security.

• NBN ready for service at 658,000 premises: NBN Co

  NBN Co CEO Bill Morrow has offered a rosy take on the state of the National Broadband Network.

• Telstra defends state of its copper network

  Telstra’s director of government relations James Shaw has defended the condition of the telco’s copper network, saying it’s difficult to accept claims that it is “falling apart.”

• 'Guarantees have lost currency': NBN Co

  NBN Co is not in a position to guarantee minimum broadband speeds that Australians will experience on the National Broadband Network, NBN Co Chairman Ziggy Switkowksi has told a parliamentary hearing today.

• Why the IT Industry Is Desperate for H-1B Reform Legislation

  Amid broad agreement that more skilled workers would boost the tech economy, industry experts suggest that comprehensive immigration bill coming up for debate doesn't go far enough to help fill IT, engineering and manufacturing jobs.

• Could Privacy Protection Bills Hinder Law Enforcement?

  The Electronic Communications Privacy Act reform bill advances to the Senate floor to better protect email privacy. Meanwhile a House subcommittee considers privacy protections for location data, data which some in law enforcement say is necessary to solve crimes.

• No Deal on H-1B Visas for STEM Workers Without Immigration Bill

  Leading Senate Democrat urges the Internet Association to focus its advocacy on the controversial issue of lower-skilled workers, declaring that the only path to greater numbers of foreign-born science, technology, engineering and math workers will come through a comprehensive immigration reform bill.