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☆ David McBride: Former Australian military lawyer who exposed alleged war crimes jailed for leaking documents
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-14 | by ( Hilary Whiteman | Angus Watson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

However, during proceedings against McBride, the court heard that he did not bring the documents to the media’s attention to highlight the alleged war crimes. “David McBride leaked documents to our national broadcaster which contained credible evidence of war crimes committed by Australian forces in Afghanistan. Pender and others pointed out that no one had yet been prosecuted over Australia’s alleged war crimes in Afghanistan – except the man who had brought it to the country’s attention. Australian Federal Police officers raided the ABC offices in Sydney in 2019 seeking documents as they pursued potential charges against the journalists behind the story. The Australian Federal Police is working with the Office of the Special Investigator (OSI) to investigate potential charges.

Persons: CNN —, ”, David Mossop, David McBride, McBride, Mark Davies, Brereton, Mossop, “, ” McBride, Justice Mossop, ” Mossop, McBride’s, Kieran Pender, “ David McBride, Pender, Australia’s, “ Will, Peter Greste, Greste, ” “ David, ” Greste, he’ll, Anthony Albanese, “ I’m, Mark Dreyfus Organizations: CNN, Australian Army, Canberra, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, ABC, Australian Defense Force, Australian Special Air Service, SAS, Human Rights Law, Australian, Journalists, Australian Federal Police, Commonwealth, Public Prosecutions, ADF, AFP Locations: Afghanistan, Egypt, Sydney, New South Wales

☆ Former US Marine pilot arrested in Australia worked with Chinese hacker unknowingly, lawyer says
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-12 | by ( ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —A former US Marine pilot fighting extradition from Australia on US charges of training Chinese military pilots to land on aircraft carriers, unknowingly worked with a Chinese hacker, his lawyer said. The lawyer’s filing supports Reuters reporting linking Duggan to convicted Chinese defense hacker Su Bin. The case will be heard in a Sydney court this month, two years after his arrest in rural Australia at a time when Britain was warning its former military pilots not to work for China. Su Bin, arrested in Canada in 2014, pleaded guilty in 2016 to theft of US military aircraft designs by hacking major US defense contractors. Duggan asked Su Bin to help source Chinese aircraft parts for his Top Gun tourist flight business in Australia, Collaery wrote.

Persons: CNN —, Daniel Duggan, Duggan, Su Bin, Bernard Collaery, Mark Dreyfus, Collaery, Su Bin “, ”, AVIC, “, Mr Duggan Organizations: CNN, US Marine, Reuters, Gun, Australian Security Intelligence Organisation, US, AVIC, ASIO, US Navy Criminal Investigation Service, United Locations: Australia, Australian, Beijing, Sydney, Britain, China, Canada, United States, Australia’s Tasmania, backdated

☆ Australia PM Backs Parliament Motion Calling for Julian Assange's Release
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-14 | by ( Feb. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

The motion, moved by independent lawmaker Andrew Wilkie, was passed on Wednesday with 86 votes in favour and 42 against after it was supported by the Labor government. "(The motion) will send a powerful political signal to the British government and to the U.S. government," Wilkie told parliament ahead of the vote. Assange's supporters say he has been victimised because he exposed U.S. wrongdoing and potential crimes, including in conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq. Washington says the release of the secret documents put lives in danger. Australia's Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus said Assange's extradition was raised in a meeting with his U.S. counterpart Merrick Garland in Washington last month.

Persons: Renju Jose SYDNEY, Anthony Albanese, Julian Assange, Andrew Wilkie, Wilkie, Assange, Albanese, Mark Dreyfus, Merrick Garland, Dreyfus, Renju Jose, Jamie Freed Organizations: Australia's, WikiLeaks, London's, Labor, ., Britain, Australian Broadcasting Corp, U.S Locations: Australia, United States, Australian, Britain, Afghanistan, Iraq, Washington, Sydney

☆ Australia Government Seeks Opposition Support on Immigration Detention Legislation
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-05 | by ( Dec. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

The verdict overturned an court ruling from about 20 years ago that said indefinite immigration detention was lawful as long as the government intended to remove the person from Australia eventually. The federal government is scrambling to pass the law as the opposition coalition and government lawmakers continued to clash over the ramifications of the high court ruling. The proposed law will allow the government to refer non-citizens freed from immigration detention to judges to decide whether they pose a risk to the community. Three of the about 150 people who were freed since the court ruling have been charged with fresh offences, media have reported. Dreyfus said the government would reject amendments to the bill because they risk exposing it to further challenges in the high court.

Persons: Mark Dreyfus, Dreyfus, Renju Jose, Lewis Jackson, Gerry Doyle Organizations: SYDNEY, Australian, Wednesday, Attorney Locations: Australia's, Australia, Sydney

☆ Mothers accused of harming their babies are turning to the same science that freed Kathleen Folbigg
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-17 | by ( Hilary Whiteman | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +17 min

Confirmation of a likely genetic cause for the children’s deaths has implications far beyond Australia for parents who have been accused of killing or harming their babies. The advances in genetic testing used to free Folbigg are giving other families hope that science may explain why their children have died, but experts say sometimes even that can’t exonerate parents – often mothers – accused of harming them. How the science is helping othersOne of the lead authors of the study, Professor Carola Vinuesa, says that Folbigg’s case has encouraged other families and lawyers to come forward, seeking genetic evidence to clear mothers accused of harming their babies. Some mothers accused of injuring their children are seeking a genetic explanation for their symptoms to counter claims of child abuse, she said. “The majority of these mothers have not harmed their children, but the children have these very rare conditions.

Persons: Australia CNN — Kathleen Folbigg, Folbigg, seeped, don’t languish, ” Folbigg, –, Kathleen Folbigg, Caleb, Patrick, Sarah, Laura, Folbigg’s, Craig, Emma Cunliffe, ”, Cunliffe, Roy Meadow, ” Cunliffe, Sharmila Betts, Betts, there’s, Reginald Blanch, she’d, – Caleb, Patrick –, Tom Bathurst, Carola Vinuesa, I’ve, we’ve, Meadow, Francis Crick, Carola Vinuesa's, Michael Bowles, Helen Hayward, Brown, “ It’s, Hayward, they’ve, aren’t, George W Bush, Tracy Chapman, she’s, Chapman, “ I’ve, We’ve, “, ” Chapman, Stringer, Rhanee Rego, Andrew Dyer, Dyer, Michael Daley, Mr Bathurst, Mark Dreyfus, I’ll Organizations: Australia CNN, New South, CNN, ” Police, University of British Columbia’s Allard School of Law, “, NSW, BSN, ABC, Child, Francis Crick Institute, Concorde, MySpace, Reuters, Australian Academy of Science, Law Council, Sydney Institute of Criminology, Australian Lawyers Alliance Locations: Brisbane, Australia, New South Wales, British, United Kingdom, Canada, London, United States, Iraq, Coffs Harbour , New South Wales, Reuters Bathurst, Scotland, Norway, New Zealand

☆ Australia to ban swastika, SS sign citing rise of far-right
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SYDNEY, June 8 (Reuters) - Australia said on Thursday it would introduce laws to the parliament next week banning public displays and sales of Nazi hate symbols, citing a rise in far-right activities at home. A ban on the Nazi salute will not be added to the federal law, the attorney-general said. Australia's spy agency has been warning far-right groups were on the rise in Australia and that they had become more organised and visible. Last year, a soccer fan who gave the salute at the Australia Cup final was banned for life from any games sanctioned by Football Australia. Dreyfus said all Australian states and territories had either passed laws or announced plans to ban Nazi symbols, and the proposed federal laws will mesh with the states'.

Persons: We've, Mark Dreyfus, we've, Dreyfus, Renju Jose, Michael Perry Organizations: SYDNEY, Nazi, Channel Seven, Australia, Football Australia, Thomson Locations: Australia, Melbourne, Sydney

☆ Australia may inadvertently fuel cyber crime, says data theft victim service
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-05 | by ( Byron Kaye | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

SYDNEY, April 5 (Reuters) - An Australian government-backed service for victims of identity theft blasted a plan to toughen privacy laws amid an explosion of online data theft, saying it would spur compromised companies to pay ransom and invite more hacking. IDCare, a non-profit that helps internet crime victims, said by making it easier for regulators to fine companies for poor data security and failing to criminalise ransom payment, Australia may inadvertently fuel a cyber-crimewave. Canberra raised the maximum fine to A$50 million ($34 million) from A$2.2 million for companies that fail to stop data theft after the first major attack in October, when some 10 million customer accounts at No. DEMAND SPIKESince Australia made it compulsory for companies to report data breaches in 2018, IDCare's submission said community demand for its services had rocketed. ($1 = 1.4806 Australian dollars)Reporting by Byron Kaye; Editing by Praveen Menon and Sonali PaulOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Australia bans TikTok on government devices over security concerns
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

[1/2] The logo of Chinese-owned video app TikTok is seen on a smartphone in front of an image of the Australian national flag in this illustration picture taken April 4, 2023. REUTERS/Tingshu Wang/IllustrationSYDNEY, April 4 (Reuters) - Australia banned TikTok on Tuesday from all federal government-owned devices over security concerns, becoming the latest U.S.-allied country to take action against the Chinese-owned video app. TikTok's Australia and New Zealand General Manager Lee Hunter said TikTok should not be singled out. "Things are going well, but of course, it'll take some time to turn this ship around," Trade Minister Don Farrell told Sky News, referring to prospects for improving trade relations. TikTok has said the administration of President Joe Biden demanded its Chinese owners divest their stakes or face a potential U.S. ban.

☆ Australia to ban TikTok on government devices over security concerns
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-04 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

The Australian government said on Tuesday it will remove TikTok from all federal government-owned devices over security concerns, becoming the latest U.S. allied country to initiate action against the Chinese-owned video app. The move underscores growing worries that China's government could use the Beijing-based company, owned by ByteDance, to harvest users' data to advance its political agenda, undermining Western security interests. It risks renewing diplomatic tensions between Canberra and Beijing that have eased somewhat since the Labor government led by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese returned to power in May. The ban will come into effect "as soon as practicable," Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus said in a statement, adding that exemptions would only be granted on a case-by-case basis and with appropriate security measures in place. With Australia's ban, all members of the so-called Five Eyes intelligence-sharing network — which consists of Australia, Canada, the United States, Britain and New Zealand — have banned the app from government devices.

☆ Australia bans TikTok on federal government devices
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-03 | by ( Chris Lau | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Australia has joined other Western countries in banning the use of TikTok on government devices as the Chinese-owned video app comes under increasing pressure over claims it presents a security concern. So far, there’s no evidence the Chinese government has accessed TikTok user data, and no government has enacted a broader ban targeting TikTok on personal devices. During a high profile congressional hearing on the matter, TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew was grilled about the tech firm’s alleged ties to the Chinese government. Chew has said the Chinese government had never asked TikTok for its data and that the company would refuse any such request. For its part, China’s Commerce Ministry said it would “firmly oppose” any decision resulting in the forced sale of TikTok, adding that it would “seriously damage” global investors’ confidence in the United States.

☆ Australia govt introduces Indigenous referendum bill in parliament
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-29 | by ( Renju Jose | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Introducing the bill in parliament, Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus said the referendum, to be held between October and December, would be an opportunity to acknowledge history and help Australians come together "for a more reconciled future." The main opposition Liberal party has not yet decided if it would support the proposed constitutional amendments but its junior coalition partner, the rural-based National Party, has said it would oppose them. A Guardian poll last week showed public support for the referendum was down 5% but was still backed by a majority, with 59% in favour. Any constitutional alterations in Australia require a national referendum. To succeed a referendum requires a national majority of votes as well as a majority of votes in at least four of the six states.

☆ UN torture prevention panel terminates visit to Australia
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SYDNEY, Feb 21 (Reuters) - A U.N. torture prevention panel terminated its suspended visit to Australia, saying it continued to face obstacles in getting access to some detention centres in the country. The U.N. Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture (SPT) on Monday said it had requested several assurances in order to resume its visit but some guarantees were not provided, and it could not decide on a "reasonable timeframe" for a visit. An optional protocol against torture and degrading treatment, which Australia is a signatory to, allows for SPT to visit prisons, police stations and other detention centres unannounced. The offices of the premiers of New South Wales and Queensland did not immediately respond to a Reuters request seeking comment. Jabbour said a report based on what the panel had observed during its October visit would be shared with the Australian authorities.

☆ Australia unveils joint cyber police taskforce to 'hunt down' hackers
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SYDNEY, Nov 12 (Reuters) - Australia on Saturday formalised a new cyber-policing model in a stepped-up effort to "hunt down" cyber criminal syndicates, following recent hacks impacting millions of Australians. Australia's biggest health insurer, Medibank Private Ltd (MPL.AX), last month was hit by a massive cyber attack, as Australia grapples with a rise in damaging hacks. O'Neil said around 100 officers would be part of the new partnership between the two federal agencies, which would act as "a joint standing operation against cyber criminal syndicates". The taskforce would "day in, day out, hunt down the scumbags who are responsible for these malicious crimes", she said. Attorney General Mark Dreyfus, speaking alongside O'Neil in Melbourne, refused to be drawn on whether the ransomware group REvil was responsible for recent cyber attacks on Australians.

☆ Australia to consider banning paying of ransoms to cyber criminals
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SYDNEY, Nov 13 (Reuters) - Australia's Home Affairs Minister Clare O'Neil on Sunday said the government would consider making illegal the paying of ransoms to cyber hackers, following recent cyber attacks affecting millions of Australians. Australia's biggest health insurer, Medibank Private Ltd (MPL.AX), last month suffered a massive cyber attack, as Australia grapples with a rise in hacks. Asked on ABC television on Sunday whether the government planned to look at outlawing ransom payments to cyber criminals, O'Neil said "that's correct". Around 100 officers would be part of the new partnership between the two federal agencies, which would act as a joint standing operation against cyber criminals. The AFP earlier this week said Russia-based hackers were behind the attack on Medibank, which compromised data from around 10 million current and former customers.

☆ Australia flags increased penalties for data breaches following major cyberattacks
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Oct 23 (Reuters) - Australia will introduce laws to parliament to increase penalties for companies subject to major data breaches, Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus said, after high-profile cyberattacks hit millions of Australians in recent weeks. When Australians were asked to hand over personal data to companies, they had a right to expect it would be protected, the attorney-general said. "Significant privacy breaches in recent weeks have shown existing safeguards are inadequate. It's not enough for a penalty for a major data breach to be seen as the cost of doing business," Dreyfus said. "We need better laws to regulate how companies manage the huge amount of data they collect, and bigger penalties to incentivise better behaviour."

☆ 'Political fix' needed for Wikileaks' Assange - lawyer
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

SYDNEY, Oct 21 (Reuters) - A lawyer for WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange said an "urgent political fix" is needed in his case because legal appeals against his extradition to the United States could continue for another decade and his health is declining. In June, Britain's Home Secretary approved Assange's extradition to the United States. "This case is political and needs an urgent political fix," she added. The saga began at the end of 2010 when Sweden sought Assange's extradition from Britain over allegations of sex crimes. Britain's Home Affairs office has said the courts had concluded Assange's extradition would not be incompatible with his human rights, and that he would be treated appropriately.

☆ Australia to create national anti-corruption watchdog
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese speaks at the Sydney Energy Forum in Sydney, Australia July 12, 2022. Brook Mitchell/Pool via REUTERS/File PhotoSYDNEY, Sept 27 (Reuters) - Australia's government said on Tuesday it will introduce legislation to create a National Anti-Corruption Commission, after years of debate over the need for an independent watchdog for politicians. The commission will investigate serious or systemic corruption by federal government ministers, parliamentarians, political staff and employees of, or contractors to, government entities. A New South Wales state corruption watchdog has conducted a slew of investigations into politicians and political donations in Australia's biggest state economy, resulting in two Liberal state premiers resigning in the past decade. The national commission will be able to hold public hearings "in exceptional circumstances", and where it is in the public interest, the government statement said.

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