Today I'm submitting my latest entry in a series of comments to Australia's Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security to remind them what a terrible idea the Assistance and Access Act is. My previous written comments (such as here and here) and oral testimony largely focused on the cybersecurity ramifications of the Act. But after a series of raids on the homes and offices of Australian journalists earlier this month--raids empowered by the Act and other national-security legislation passed by Australia's Parliament in recent years--today's comments are mostly about press freedom. Oh, and the economy. Six months after its passage, the Act has been hurting Australia's tech sector, too. The Committee is ostensibly undertaking the current review with an eye toward amending the Act (though I have no confidence that will happen). But amendments aren't enough. The Act should be repealed.
My newest comment is available here. You can find all my previous written submissions here.