Confirmation today that the data collected by the Andrews Labor Government’s mandatory QR code may be accessed by other government agencies including Victoria Police for non-COVID purposes, is a further blow for Victorian community confidence.
Today during the Public Accounts and Estimates Committee hearings in Parliament, Minister for Government Services, Danny Pearson confirmed a mechanism exists for Victoria Police to access QR code data for criminal investigations – despite announcing the data gathered was only to be used by the Department of Health for contact tracing purposes in November 2020.
This revelation follows the urgent introduction of legislation in Western Australia yesterday to block police from accessing QR code data, after a business’s check-in data was provided to WA Police for two criminal investigations.
With Labor’s QR code only becoming mandatory months after New South Wales and other states, the last thing Victorians need is another reason not to use this important tool.
QR code data must only be used for contact tracing purposes and the Andrews Labor Government must immediately introduce similar legislation to shut these loopholes.
Comments attributable to Shadow Minister for Police and Crime Prevention, David Southwick:
“With Labor’s mandatory QR code already months behind other states the last thing we need is concerns around legal loopholes and access issues.
“No Victorian signed up to a system that would allow their data to be used by other government agencies and Labor must close this loophole immediately.
“The Andrews Labor Government must now act and urgently introduce new legislation to ensure QR code data is used only for contact tracing purposes as they promised.”
