There’s always something big in the final days before Christmas, and this year it’s a discussion paper about Home Affairs’ powers over critical infrastructure. The ATO has a new website, more on the news bargaining code, and myGov will get some fixes but not all.
Here’s what I’ve noticed since the previous edition on 15 December.
- Home Affairs has a new discussion paper, with the catchy title Consultation on proposed new cyber security legislation and on changes to the Security of Critical Infrastructure Act 2018. As the Guardian notes, Labor plan would give home affairs minister powers over critical infrastructure during cyber-attacks. Submissions close 1 March 2024.
- We have the government response to the News Media and Digital Platforms Mandatory Bargaining Code: The Code’s first year of operation. It supports the five recommendations of the review. Turning to the Guardian again, Tech giants could be forced to share secret news deals under Australia’s media bargaining code.
- From the Guardian, TikTok repeatedly urged the Australian Electoral Commission to join app during voice campaign, FoI reveals.
- “After more than a decade, the ATO has finally updated its website and it seems that nobody really noticed, and this bodes well,” reports The Mandarin. So apparently the government can computer. Or rather, bits of it can. Sometimes.
- Meanwhile, that big audit of myGov that David Thodey ran? Only four of the ten recommendations will be implemented.
- And finally, Airbnb forced to pay up to $30m for misleadingly charging Australians in US dollars. That’s 30 million Australian dollars.
Please let me know if I’ve missed anything, or if there’s any specific items you’d like me to follow.
There’s a chance the government might bring out some trash this evening in the hope it’ll be lost in the Christmas silly season. If that happens I’ll add something here on Saturday.
Parliament is currently on summer break and is due to return on Tuesday 6 February 2024. This will the last of these posts for 2023. It will return on Friday 12 February 2024 — unless something dramatic happens — in a slightly different format and also available via email.
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[Photo: Australia’s home affairs minister Clare O’Neil.]