Tough data privacy laws could be introduced to parliament by the end of this year as a matter of “urgency” after almost 10 million Australians had their sensitive information stolen in the Optus data breach.  

Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus said the nation’s data privacy laws had to be made “fit for purpose in the digital age”, with the federal government also seeking to complete the ongoing review of current regulations by 2022.  

“We are also looking at even more urgent reforms that we can make straight away to the privacy act,” he said.  

Harsher penalties for companies are also being considered to ensure that they take the necessary steps to protect the data of their customers following the “shocking intrusion”.  

“We’re going to look very hard at whether the laws need to be toughened to make sure that there’s a proper incentive to companies to keep the care that they should,” Mr Dreyfus said.  

“I think we are hoping to bring some laws in before the end of the year, or if not then, early next year.”  

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has demanded Optus pay for the cost of replacing passports and licences for customers whose data was hacked.  

Foreign Minister Penny Wong wrote to Optus chief executive Kelly Bayer Rosmarin saying there was “no justification” for affected customers or taxpayers to foot the bill.  

The opposition has called for the federal government to cover the costs, but Liberal Senator Linda Reynolds later conceded Optus should pay after criticising Labor’s response to supporting people hurt by the breach.  

“The government’s making people pay for (passports) themselves … Optus should be paying, or at least the government,” she said.  

“People with their Medicare numbers (leaked) … what protections are the government putting in place?”  

Check out: Data security laws questioned after Optus cyber attack

Almost all of the states and territories have announced residents can apply for replacement driver’s licence numbers after the transport authorities initially said no because a licence number follows a driver for life.   

Labor MP Peter Khalil, who heads parliament’s intelligence and security committee, said gaps in critical infrastructure and telecommunications laws left by the former government had made the Optus breach possible.  

“There are gaps there … The previous government did not switch on the cyber security obligations for telecommunications companies, and that is something we are looking at very, very seriously,” he said. 

With AAP 

Eliza Sayon

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Eliza is a content producer and editor at Public Spectrum. She is an experienced writer on topics related to the government and to the public, as well as stories that uplift and improve the community.

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