Indonesia likely to sign code of conduct with Australia following spying revelations. Updated 3 hours 19 minutes ago Indonesia's presidential palace has indicated a code of conduct with Australia is likely to be signed soon.
The code of conduct is a document that is crucial to finally mending bilateral relations that have been strained since it was revealed Australia tried to wiretap the phone of the president in 2009. Presidential spokesman Teuku Faizasyah says good progress is being made, and documents are regularly going back and forth between officials. IiNet says metadata retention needs great big tax on everything. Boost IT visibility and business value Australian internet service provider (ISP) iiNet has delivered a stinging rebuttal to its home nation's plans to introduce far-reaching data retention laws. iiNet became famous after it was targeted by Big Content's lawyers, who alleged it should have taken allegations of copyright abuse by its subscribers as gospel.
After many legal adventures, Australia's High Court, from which no appeal is possible, found in iiNet's favour and said it was not reasonable for ISPs to act as enforcers for copyright owners. The ISP has flown a flag for online freedom ever since, making its latest missive both predictable and significant. Australia gets spooks' charter, new leak penalties. Boost IT visibility and business value Australia's government has introduced its “spooks' charter” to parliament, wheeling ASIO chief David Irvine in front of a press conference to convince Australians of deadly threats to their liberty that justify the erection of a surveillance state.
The new legislation introduces a single warrant covering networks of computers (instead of requiring a single warrant for each intrusion); the right for agencies to use innocent third-party computers to access other computers; and the ability for intelligence officers to disrupt computer operations. Hidden Medicare changes in Federal Budget: Medical scans could cost you up to $1,000. Fears for patients ...
Doctors think the rising cost of scans might deter people from getting medical attention. Picture: Thinkstock Source: Supplied PATIENTS will have to pay up to $1,000 upfront to get medical imaging such as CAT scans, MRIs and X-rays as a result of a budget nasty that doctors fear could delay diagnosis. Palmer’s missing tax: How does the billionaire get away with paying no company tax? If the federal government is looking to boost its tax revenue, it might be worth taking a closer look at the company accounts of one of Australia’s richest people: Clive Palmer.
While many small Australian businesses are eagerly awaiting the government’s proposed cut to the company tax rate, reports in The Australian over the weekend indicate three of Palmer’s companies—Mineralogy Group, QNI Resources and QNI Metals—have not paid company tax in the last six financial years. And according to audited cash flow statements from the companies, the ATO has paid Palmer’s companies a total of $1.66 million since 2008, as well as a once-off payment of $45 million to Mineralogy in September 2013 after Palmer successfully argued his company paid too much capital gains tax on a 2007 iron ore deal.
Professor Chris Evans from the Australian School of Business at the University of New South Wales told SmartCompany it is not unusual for companies to minimise their tax bills. Indonesia recalls ambassador after leaked documents reveal Australia spied on president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. Updated Tue 19 Nov 2013, 7:35am AEDT Indonesia has recalled its ambassador and is reviewing all cooperation with the Australian government, over revelations Australia attempted to listen in to president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's phone calls.
Documents obtained by the ABC and Guardian Australia show that Australian intelligence attempted to listen in to Mr Yudhoyono's telephone conversations on at least one occasion, and also targeted the phones of his wife, Ani Yudhoyono, and his inner circle. Spies also tracked activity on Mr Yudhoyono's mobile phone for 15 days in August 2009, the material - leaked by the US National Security Agency (NSA) whistleblower Edward Snowden - reveals. Indonesia's foreign minister Marty Natalegawa has called the spying unacceptable and accused Australia of violating individual privacy and human rights. Treasurer Joe Hockey warns of United States-style shutdown over debt ceiling. Updated Thu 14 Nov 2013, 2:42pm AEDT Federal Treasurer Joe Hockey has raised the prospect of a US-style government shutdown, warning there will have to be "massive" spending cuts if the Opposition does not back down on increasing the debt ceiling.
The Government wants to raise the debt cap to half a trillion dollars, but Labor and the Greens have joined forces in the Senate to amend the plan and impose a lower limit of $400 billion. The amended legislation will now return to the Lower House, but Mr Hockey has already indicated he will not accept the change. He has warned Labor it will be responsible for any cuts and will have to wear them "like a crown of thorns".
"There is no choice," he told Radio National's Breakfast program. 'I shot the sheriff': Turnbull asked for NBN Co board scalps. New communications minister Malcolm Turnbull has told a Sydney press conference that the government specifically requested the resignation of the NBN Co board, “to give the government complete flexibility in remaking the board in light of the policy agenda.”
Turnbull said that “I have never criticised any of the individuals on that board,” claiming rather that the selection of the board requires the right experience in telecommunications, management and construction, along with “getting the right mix and getting the right chemistry.” Turnbull told the press conference that the replacement board will be chosen by cabinet. The first task of that board – apart from maintaining a steady hand on whatever construction is already subject to contract – will be to set in train the strategic review promised by the minister and Tony Abbott back in April.
That review, Turnbull stated during the press conference, will include “a cost-benefit analysis”. Christopher Pyne won't rule out privatising HECS debt. Updated Tue 29 Oct 2013, 2:05pm AEDT.
Australia Says Broadband Ban on Huawei Stays. SYDNEY - Australia's new government on Tuesday said Chinese telecoms giant Huawei will remain shut out of bidding to build Australia's national broadband network on advice from security agencies.
The previous Labor government banned Huawei from helping build infrastructure for the National Broadband Network (NBN) in 2012 on "strong advice" from intelligence operatives. Huawei criticised the decision and denied it posed a security risk. But Attorney-General George Brandis said the new conservative government of Prime Minister Tony Abbott, which took power after winning September 7 national elections, had no plans to relax this stance. Telstra to DNS-block botnet C&Cs with unknown blacklist. Telstra is preparing to get proactive with malware, announcing that it will be implementing a DNS-based blocker to prevent customer systems from contact known command-and-control servers. The “malware suppression” tool will will be introduced at no cost for fixed, mobile and NBN customers using domestic broadband and Telstra Business Broadband services.
The service is using a command-and-control address list sourced from an unnamed Californian partner, and the carrier maintains that it won't be recording users' browsing history. However, there seems to be a little confusion between different arms of the carrier as to how the malware suppression service works. Here's how the promotional blog post discusses the technology: “Because the malware suppression technology only observes DNS queries and not internet traffic, no internet search history, browsing data or any other customer data is recorded, retained or sent to a third party.” In its support Q&A, the carrier states: IBM lands spook co-operation standard at Oz airports.
High performance access to file storage The Australian Customs and Border Protection Service (ACBPS) has gone live with IBM-delivered passenger analytics which it says will help identify risky passengers before they enter Australia. In a rather coy canned statement, Big Blue says the system will check Passenger Name Records (PNRs) against “other relevant material” to provide an on-the-spot risk assessment of individual arrivals. With around 30 million airline passenger arrivals annually, speeding up arrival assessments is a priority for the ACBPS. “The solution eliminates the manual and time consuming process of pulling data from multiple host systems on an “as required” basis. Now ACBPS officials receive real-time data for all departures and arrivals, allowing them to more quickly and accurately zero in on potentially high risk passengers”, IBM claims.
Traditional owners riled by nature park ruling. Indonesian MP Tantowi Yahya says Coalition's asylum seeker policy threatens to damage relations. Updated Thu 19 Sep 2013, 3:35pm AEST A member of the Indonesian parliamentary foreign affairs commission has described the Federal Government's asylum seeker policy as "offensive" and "illegal". More crocs removed in Cairns with record set to be broken. Daintree power hopes switched off. Blueprint splits Cape. Little love for 3am closing time.
Qld public safety IT&T needs overhaul. High performance access to file storage A review into Queensland's police and emergency services will have the IT sector cracking open its tendering boilerplates, with a recommendation that the state create common platforms to link police to other agencies. The review, conducted by former Australian Federal Police head Mick Keelty, recommends a compete overhaul of IT and communications in the Queensland government's $AU4 billion Police and Public Safety Portfolio. Keelty writes that the department and police “have either not addressed or have been unable to advance better models for interoperability”. Australia Elects Libertarian-Leaning Senator (By Accident)
Telstra's Thodey is NBN kingmaker after Oz election. High performance access to file storage With Saturday's emphatic election result putting almost certain to put Malcolm Turnbull into the communications ministry, the business of rejigging the National Broadband Network is about to begin in earnest. Step one, once Turnbull assumes the ministry, will be a promised “100 day” review of the NBN. Turnbull floats e-vote, compulsory ID. Australia votes and Vulture South picks the flesh off tech policy. Australia's anti-smut internet filter blueprint lasts LESS THAN A DAY. High performance access to file storage. CNN: Australians fooled by asylum seeker myth.
Qld Health starts briefing industry on IT refresh. The Liberal Party of Australia: Reconsider your plan for a 'FTTN' NBN in favour of a superior 'FTTH' NBN. Election 2013: What does it mean for Australian IT pros? ASIO beefing up telecoms interception teams. Queensland bans IBM from future work. High performance access to file storage The Australian State of Queensland has barred IBM from future government work, “until it improves its governance and contracting practices.” Queensland is grumpy with IBM because of its role in a billion-dollar blowout of a payroll system for its health department.