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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, Second Session (54-2)
2021-03-18 Daily Xml
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COVID-19 QR Code Security

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS (West Torrens) (14:49): My question is to the Premier. Given the Premier's previous answer, can he assure the house that no organisation outside the South Australian government will have any access to any data collected by the South Australian government through QR codes, government websites or any other online government platforms?

The Hon. V.A. CHAPMAN (Bragg—Deputy Premier, Attorney-General, Minister for Planning and Local Government) (14:50): I thank the member for his question. I think the rollout of the QR codes has been an extraordinary success in South Australia and I am pleased to say that other states have taken up this opportunity. With it, the police commissioner, as the Coordinator in relation to the declaration that has been made under the Emergency Management Act, has made it very clear that a number of things sit around that to protect both the data and the privacy of individuals' information on it and for the destruction of that material after 28 days.

Just over a million QR code deletions are occurring every day; in fact, there is a daily tally that is given to the Premier's office. From time to time I inquire, and I am happy to do that. As of a couple of weeks ago, I think 55 million or something had been deleted, but I can get an update for the house as to exactly what the number is today. That is consistent with the commitment that we just gave and the police commissioner gave as to ensuring that data has been kept for its useful purpose, namely identification of the potential transmission of any virus via the tracing capacity of the QR code, and that is precisely what has occurred.

In addition to that, the commissioner has employed the use of on-the-spot fines—I think it is $1,000 for an individual and a higher amount for some corporate breach—in relation to the application of that data contrary to those directions. To date, as of about a few days ago, on my last inquiry with the commissioner—I think it was late last week that I made the inquiry as to whether anyone or any corporate had been prosecuted under those provisions and the answer at that stage was no. I am happy to make further inquiry for the purpose of informing the house as to any further update on that.

It seems the people of South Australia have recognised the benefit of this and, in addition, they have largely complied with it, although from time to time I am sure members would have observed or heard of someone who might have walked into a premises and not actually coded in or written in where it is required. The other night, I was at the Cleland park zoo and also at Monarto and both have both options available for us to QR code in, in addition to all the metropolitan facilities that of course are there. We are relying on our COVID marshals but it seems the police commissioner, as the Coordinator in relation to this under the Emergency Management Act, is satisfied that there has been compliance.

There has been the introduction of a bill in the other place by one of the members there to codify in a statutory form all the undertakings and obligations that the government have given. I don't know the detail of what has happened with that this week. It is possible it has passed or advanced or been debated; I am not quite sure. In any event, we have made that commitment, we have honoured it and we are satisfied the police commissioner as the coordinator-general is satisfied with the rollout of that.

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