Data retention grants now open to industry

The Australian Government has opened a grants program to provide $128.4 million to assist the telecommunications industry with the upfront costs of meeting new data retention obligations with the introduction of the Data Retention Act.

The Data Retention Industry Grants Program consists of a single funding round open to telecommunications service providers who are required to retain limited communications data for two years. It will also include support for smaller providers.

In a media release, the government said it is committed to assisting industry with the implementation of the data retention obligations, especially since metadata is used in nearly every investigation concerning counterterrorism, counterespionage, and organised and major crime.

Internet Australia has welcomed the release of the grants program but said the sum falls “well short” of the likely total costs as estimated by its ISP members and by the government’s own advisor, PwC.

The peak body representing internet users said ISPs are unlikely to absorb the shortfall so consumers can be expected to be slugged with increased access fees to compensate.

A review of the Data Retention Act is currently due in 2018; however, Internet Australia is calling for it to be brought forward to address industry concerns.

For more information about the funding program, go to www.business.gov.au/DRIGP.

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