Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee, , 6:43:37 to 6:46:47
Examination of national security risks regarding data storage and spying by overseas manufacturers.
Topics: National security, Privacy
Speakers: Melissa Cashman, Hon Bridget McKenzie, Senator Ross Cadell, Unknown Speaker
>> What if the manufacturer is subject to foreign rules that say they have to give code and data if requested? So that's
getting into a national security matter, Senator, and that's not what these standards are for. These are for the >> for the to protect the safe operation of the vehicle itself. National security matters is where we start getting into home affairs territory.
>> And um spying on citizens by overseas manufacturers. Um is that something these UN regulations would address or
Uh if you mean by that um what happens to the data >> that is unfortunately attorney generals and the office of the Australian information commissioner they make the rules about how data is managed people's personal private data and that's what the data that is is taken from vehicles uh would be classified as so they are looking at uh they they manage the law that sets out what happens to the data Home Affairs looks at the national security element of the matter. We're looking at that uh what could be done to the vehicle that would hamper its safe operation
there are no rules around the storage of data is there out of vehicles?
>> Yeah, absolutely there are the the well the laws that are apply to all other data data developing data um generating um matters. I'm I'm not by no means an expert in that area, Senator, but that would be under the uh the home affairs
this is my last question on a very frustrating topic and I'm sure we'll speak to each other again next estimates but at what point and which arm of government says we're not importing that vehicle anymore until we can be assured the data is not going uh to stateowned um enterprises or you know um other areas that it can't be manipulated. ated from overseas like that we've turned whatever we've ripped whatever caught out what etc there's some standard so before it can be imported at what who would oversee that from the federal government's perspective would it be an Australian design standard that you'd look after
>> certainly if they didn't meet the Australian design standard they would either not get an approval to start with or if they were found non-compliant with the Australian design rule, we can suspend or revoke supply. Um, if we're talking about broader matters of national security, that would be Department of Home Affairs. Uh, I uh I'm not sure uh what powers the attorney general's department has as far as management of data storage. I couldn't comment on that. We could find the
information, I'm sure. And Miss Cashman or Miss Langford, have you ensured that your department officials um and those that work closely with them are not working for the PRC?