Nita Green (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Minister for Tourism) Share this | Hansard source

I present the government response to the report of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Law Enforcement on its inquiry into the impact of new and emerging information and communication technology. I seek leave to incorporate the document in Hansard.

Leave granted.

The documents read as follows—

Australian Government response to the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Law Enforcement report:

Impact of New and Emerging Information and Communication Technology

NOVEMBER 2025

Recommendations made in Impact of new and emerging information and communication technology

Committee Recommendations

Recommendation 1:

The committee recommends that the National Cybercrime Working Group examines and reports on the merits of the following initiatives as part of its work developing a new National Plan to Combat Cybercrime:

Response:

The Government notes this recommendation. However, given the passage of time since the report was tabled, a substantive Government response is no longer appropriate.

Recommendation 2:

The committee recommends that the Australian government considers establishing a task force comprising information and communications technology (ICT), legal, law enforcement and security experts, including from academia, to:

Response:

The Government notes this recommendation. However, given the passage of time since the report was tabled, a substantive Government response is no longer appropriate.

Recommendation 3:

The committee recommends that the Australian government evaluates the current Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty process and identifies:

Response:

The Government notes this recommendation. However, given the passage of time since the report was tabled, a substantive Government response is no longer appropriate.

Recommendation 4:

The committee recommends that the Australian government explores a range of approaches for improving the information and communications technology (ICT) skills and capabilities of the law enforcement workforce, including:

Response:

The Government notes this recommendation. However, given the passage of time since the report was tabled, a substantive Government response is no longer appropriate.

Recommendation 5:

The committee recommends that the Australian government explores suggestions from law enforcement agencies and cybersecurity experts for improving information and communications technology (ICT) capabilities and resources, including:

Response:

The Government notes this recommendation. However, given the passage of time since the report was tabled, a substantive Government response is no longer appropriate.

Recommendation 6:

The committee recommends the Australian government considers the use of hybrid storage strategies, artificial intelligence and other advanced techniques for sorting, filtering and analysing large volumes of data.

Response:

The Government notes this recommendation. However, given the passage of time since the report was tabled, a substantive Government response is no longer appropriate.

Recommendation 7:

The committee recommends that the Australian government takes the following into account when developing any future strategies for biometric data and facial recognition systems:

Response:

The Government notes this recommendation. However, given the passage of time since the report was tabled, a substantive Government response is no longer appropriate.

Recommendation 8:

The committee recommends that the Australian government reviews current consumer protection laws and regulations in relation to internet-enabled devices and identifies changes that may be required to provide adequate and timely consumer protection in relation to the risks they pose.

Response:

The Government notes this recommendation. However, given the passage of time since the report was tabled, a substantive Government response is no longer appropriate.

Recommendation 9:

The committee recommends that Australian governments review legal mechanisms intended to protect victims, such as Apprehended Violence Orders, to ensure that they offer adequate protection to victims of crime facilitated by internet-enabled devices.

Response:

The Government notes this recommendation. However, given the passage of time since the report was tabled, a substantive Government response is no longer appropriate.

Recommendation 10:

The committee recommends that the Australian government develops education materials to inform law enforcement agencies and personnel about new and emerging information and communications technologies that offenders may use to facilitate family and domestic abuse, and to provide guidance on appropriate strategies for responding to such situations.

Response:

The Government notes this recommendation. However, given the passage of time since the report was tabled, a substantive Government response is no longer appropriate.

Recommendation 11:

The committee recommends that the Australian government develops and implements an Internet of Things (IoT) public awareness campaign that:

Response:

The Government notes this recommendation. However, given the passage of time since the report was tabled, a substantive Government response is no longer appropriate.

Recommendation 12:

The committee recommends that the National Plan includes, as a key priority area, ways to better coordinate intelligence gathering, data analytics, data management and investigative support services across Australian jurisdictions and agencies in order to ensure that law enforcement in Australia is able to keep pace with the rapid pace of technological change in digital communications.

Response:

The Government notes this recommendation. However, given the passage of time since the report was tabled, a substantive Government response is no longer appropriate.

Recommendation 13:

The committee recommends that the Australian government considers implementing the INdata Cooperative Research Centre to address the common big data and information data sharing needs of law enforcement agencies and explores other opportunities for improving information and intelligence-sharing between law enforcement agencies in all Australian jurisdictions.

Response:

The Government notes this recommendation. However, given the passage of time since the report was tabled, a substantive Government response is no longer appropriate.

Recommendation 14:

The committee recommends that the Australian government considers reviewing the Telecommunications (Interception and Access) Act 1979 and Surveillance Devices Act 2004 and amending them as necessary to ensure that they are technology neutral and an effective legal mechanism for meeting the telecommunications interception needs of law enforcement agencies.

Response:

The Government notes this recommendation. However, given the passage of time since the report was tabled, a substantive Government response is no longer appropriate.

Recommendation 15:

The committee recommends that the Australian government explores opportunities for greater engagement and partnerships with the private sector to facilitate the exchange of information and communications technology expertise and the development of novel approaches to tackling cybercrime.

Response:

The Government notes this recommendation. However, given the passage of time since the report was tabled, a substantive Government response is no longer appropriate.