Data Retention Bill Passes Aussie House Of Reps

Dammit.

This afternoon, MPs from both sides of Parliament’s House of Representatives passed the amended Data Retention Bill.

In Question Time this afternoon, Prime Minister Tony Abbott praised those involved with the Bill’s passage:

The Australian Federal Police advised me that 90 per cent of counter-terrorism investigations involve the use of metadata, as do some 90 per cent of child abuse investigations. I want to thank the chairman of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security…the Ministers and Shadow Minister involved but we can’t stop there. we must alays be acting to keep our country safe.”

The legislation was passed following a deal struck this morning between MPs from both sides of the house on ensuring that trawling through the metadata of journalists would be carefully monitored.