A Federal parliamentary committee on treaties has approved Australia’s Clarifying Lawful Overseas Use of Data (Cloud) Act agreement with the US signed by the Morrison LNP government in 2021
The Cloud Act agreement will allow US and Australian authorities to demand information from tech companies based in overseas jurisdictions.
The deal allows law enforcement and intelligence agencies in Australia and the US to demand data directly from communication service providers operating in the other jurisdiction.
The new system, enabled by legislation in mid-2021 and now set for formal ratification, will allow authorities to obtain data in days or weeks, rather than months or years.
The committee reported that the designated authorities of Australia and the US will be aware of the number of orders for data, but their reports “would not be made public”.
Australian stakeholders addressing the committee noted that Australian authorities would have little control or oversight.
Civil liberties groups such as AIIA and Civil Liberties noted that the data and information was collected without consent.
The Australian Greens commented on the need for solid reporting and transparency.
(From the Guardian 27 December 2022)
This deal surrenders further sovereignty to the police and spy agencies of U.S. imperialism in return for reciprocal rights in the U.S.A for Australian authorities. A very asymmetrical power relationship given the supine adoring relationship of Australian police and spies toward the U.S authorities, it looks to be a one-way street.
The deal reveals the tripartite agreement of parliamentary parties LNP, ALP and Greens to this dirty deal .
What other country would so surrender its citizens and sovereignty ?
