Appendix G – Letter from Mr Roger Wilkins AO, Secretary of the Attorney-General’s
Department, to the Hon Anthony Byrne MP
12/7195-04
17 October
2012
The Hon Anthony Byrne MP
Chair
Parliamentary
Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security
Parliament House
CANBERRA ACT 2600
Dear
Mr Byrne
Telecommunications Data- Departmental View
During the Parliamentary
Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security's inquiry into potential national
security reforms a large number of submissions raised concerns regarding the
proposed establishment of a data retention regime, specifically in relation to
what information may be being considered for inclusion in such a regime.
While the Telecommunications (Interception and Access)
Act 1979 (the TIA Act) does not contain a definition of telecommunications
data (also referred to as metadata, communications data and communications
associated data), the Department has prepared a document which outlines what types
of data the Department considers to fall within the term telecommunications
data.
This document was prepared for the Committee to assist in
the Committee's consideration of the issues before the inquiry; however I note
that this document was tabled on 16 October 2012 as part of the Departments
evidence to the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee Supplementary Budget estimates hearing.
I have attached the document for the Committee's consideration and note that the contents of this document have not been endorsed by the Government.
The action officer for this matter is Catherine Smith who
can be contacted on 6141 2900.
Yours sincerely
Roger Wilkins AO
Definition of Telecommunications Data
Also known as Metadata, Communications Data and Communications
Associated Data
This data falls into 2 categories:
1. Information that allows a communication to occur
2. Information about the parties to the communications
Relates to communications for:
1. telephones- both fixed and mobile
2. Internet
Information that allows a communication to occur:
- The Internet identifier (information that uniquely identifies a person on the Internet) assigned to the user by the provider
- For Mobile service: the number called or texted.
- The service identifier used to send a communication, for example the customer's email address, phone number or VoiP number.
- The time and date of a communication.
- General location information, ie cell tower.
- The duration of the communication.
Information about the parties to the communications is information about the person who owns the service. This would include:
- Name of. the customer
- Address of the customer
- Postal address of the customer (if different)
- Billing address of the customer (if different)
- Contact details, mobile number, email address and land line phone number
- Same information on recipient party if known by the service provider.