Protect check-in data call

THERE’S growing concern that the Check In Tas App may be used by police to access data for investigations. 

The Australian Lawyers Alliance and independent Nelson MLC Meg Webb want a guarantee that the app will only be used for contact tracing. 

The police union also said it would be contrary to the public interest to use the check-in app for a non-health purpose. 

Premier Peter Gutwein recently said the Check In Tas App was not being used by police but they could seek a warrant for information. 

Ms Webb said the government should either provide definitive legal advice that additional legislative protection was not required, or take steps to put it in place as Western Australia was doing. 

“It’s not good enough to tamper with civil liberties on the run, governments must provide the utmost clarity and stringent adherence to the protection of personal privacy,” she said.

“Given what we have seen in WA and the Victorian police’s ‘informal’ requests for check-in data in that state, the Tasmanian government should issue a definitive clarification on where things stand in this state when it comes to the protection of personal information and data.”

In WA the government will introduce legislation so police cannot access information from a check-in app.

Lawyers’ alliance spokesman Greg Barns said laws were needed to stop unlawful use of Covid tracing apps.

“If people don’t have confidence that their personal data is being accessed for the sole purpose of contact tracing they will stop using the app,” Mr Barns said.

“Unless there is serious law reform and a cultural shift, Covid data breaches are sure to become a reality.”

Mr Barns said laws were needed to make it impossible for evidence obtained as a result of accessing Covid-19 tracing app data to be used in legal proceedings.

Last month Mr Gutwein said: “If there were to be a warrant issued for information, then that would be a matter that would need to take its course but we don’t provide access to Tas police to this data.”

Police Association president Colin Riley said the data should only be used for the purpose it was intended.