The Privacy Commissioner has released a copy of her submission to the Senate Legal and Constitutional Legislation Committee Inquiry into the provisions of the Anti-Terrorism Bill (No. 2) 2005.

The Commissioner is of the view that there should be an appropriate balance between the need for security and the right to privacy.

The submission notes that "a number of new provisions contained in the Bill will expand the power of law enforcement and intelligence agencies to collect personal information about individuals, including through routine surveillance and electronic tracking. Any such expansion is likely to
diminish, to varying degrees, the privacy of individuals by reducing their ability to control personal information about themselves."

As well as analysing the Bill, the submission also contains a prposed framework for assessing and implementing new law enforcement and national security powers.

The Privacy Act may be amended to deal with the exchange of personal information in the case of national emergencies such as a terrorist attack.