Australian Government Officials Using Private Email
Former Prime Minister Uses Private Email Server + Wickr (2015)
Questions raised over Malcolm Turnbull's use of private email server
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull continues to use a non-government email server to communicate with colleagues, raising questions over its security, whether it is being used to conduct official government business, and if it is being used to subvert freedom of information laws.
The Prime Minister's office confirmed on Friday that the PM — previously outed as an avid user of the self-destructing messaging app Wickr — was continuing to use his private email server after taking over the top job from former Prime Minister Tony Abbott.
"Many MPs and ministers use private messaging systems – including SMS, Whatsapp, Wickr, etc and private emails etc – for non-sensitive material for reasons of convenience and superior functionality," a spokesman for the PM said
https://www.smh.com.au/technology/questions-raised-over-malcolm-turnbulls-use-of-private-email-server-20151009-gk4vep.html
Current Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison Used Wickr (2015)
The Australian newspaper claimed Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Minister for Social Services Scott Morrison were using encrypted messaging app Wickr to communicate
Wickr circumvents data retention as it is a United States-based service whose metadata is not captured by Australian telcos. It also uses encryption it claims is uncrackable.
https://www.smh.com.au/technology/minister-for-encryption-metadata-avoidance-app-wickr-shoots-to-top-of-charts-after-malcolm-turnbull-revealed-as-a-fan-20150303-13tgxy.html
Yahoo Data Breach Affects 3,000+ Australian government officials (2017)
PRIME Minister Malcolm Turnbull has ordered a report from his top cyber security adviser on a Yahoo data breach amid claims more than 3,000 Australian government officials — including a federal minister — had private data stolen.
The Prime Minister’s Cyber Security Special Advisor Alastair MacGibbon said, “We should be celebrating really that public officials and politicians maintain a personal email account and a public email account”
Australian Federal Police officers, diplomats, judges and magistrates were also reportedly affected.
https://www.news.com.au/national/politics/christian-porter-chris-bowen-cory-bernardi-are-among-victims-of-internet-security-breach/news-story/953c4ca02ace03e23fdd18c145bfb68e
Queensland Energy and Water Supply Minister Mark Bailey Uses Yahoo Email For Govt Business (2017)
Energy and Water Supply Minister Mark Bailey has been referred to Queensland's Crime and Corruption Commission over a private email account that has the Opposition questioning if he acted corruptly.
Mr Bailey deleted his private Yahoo email account after it emerged he had been lobbied about government business on it by the Electrical Trades Union (ETU).
He had deactivated his account mangocube6@yahoo.co.uk — which included public record and correspondence with a union boss over the merging of Queensland Energy Super and Victoria's Equip Super.
But he said the CCC's main concern was whether Mr Bailey was using a private email account "to deliberately circumvent the ministerial trail … to conduct nefarious business without being exposed publicly".
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-03-02/qld-energy-minister-mark-bailey-referrred-to-ccc-deleted-email/8317340
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-07-20/mark-bailey-sideline-private-email-dath-trad/8726722
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-07-19/mark-bailey-personal-email-usage-possibly-corrupt-ccc/8724996
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2017/jul/20/queensland-premier-stands-down-energy-minister-after-corruption-investigation
Independent Commissioner Against Corruption Act (South Australia) and Office for Public Integrity Annual Report (2014)
USE OF PRIVATE EMAIL TO COMMUNICATE OFFICIAL INFORMATION
It has come to my attention that, in at least some government offices, personal email accounts might be used to convey official information between public officers, rather than through official government email facilities.
It has been suggested that the reason for doing so is to avoid the requirement to disclose those emails where an application is made under the Freedom of Information Act 1991 (FOI Act).
…
https://icac.sa.gov.au/sites/default/files/2013-2014-ICAC-and-OPI-Annual-Report.pdf