Australian Attorney-General indicates retaining internet data for two years

CANBERRA, Sept. 4 (Xinhua) -- Australian Attorney-General Nicola Roxon indicated on Tuesday that the law enforcement departments may require internet service providers to retain data on their customers web use for two years.

"Many investigations require law enforcement to build a picture of a criminal activity over a period of time, and without data retention, this capability will be lost," she told the Security in Government conference held here.

She warned against letting "criminals and terrorists operate freely on the internet without fear of prosecution". "We can't allow technology to create a safe haven for criminals or a no-go zone for law enforcement," she said.

The controversial proposals are now being considered by the joint parliamentary committee on intelligence and security.

Roxon said she wants the proposals to be debated and consultation will continue. "In pursuit of these reforms I will focus on delivering the right checks and balances to ensure that national security powers are not abused and that the privacy of Australians is respected," she said. Enditem

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