(The Guardian) Security legislation monitor has ‘a lot of concerns’ with secrecy offences
Australia’s Independent National Security Legislation Monitor (INSLM), Jake Blight, has flagged his concern with the blunt nature of secrecy offences – especially offences for leaking or receiving any information marked “secret” or “top secret” – while speaking at an opening remarks at a public hearing today. -- It is fair to say that at this stage I have a lot of concerns with this offence.
He noted that government determined how widely this designation was applied and suggested it may be being used more wider than is really necessary.
Blight also suggested Australia may need clearer definitions of what security, international relations and defence within secrecy laws and that he also held concerns about the impact of secrecy laws on journalism, particularly the offence of receiving (as opposed to retaining) information. -- I am minded to agree that at the very least merely receiving information should be removed from this offence.
He said retaining and then using it was another matter.
Australia’s Independent National Security Legislation Monitor (INSLM), Jake Blight, has flagged his concern with the blunt nature of secrecy offences – especially offences for leaking or receiving any information marked “secret” or “top secret” – while speaking at an opening remarks at a public hearing today. -- It is fair to say that at this stage I have a lot of concerns with this offence.
He noted that government determined how widely this designation was applied and suggested it may be being used more wider than is really necessary.
Blight also suggested Australia may need clearer definitions of what security, international relations and defence within secrecy laws and that he also held concerns about the impact of secrecy laws on journalism, particularly the offence of receiving (as opposed to retaining) information. -- I am minded to agree that at the very least merely receiving information should be removed from this offence.
He said retaining and then using it was another matter.
