Mr Tim Pilgrim
Australian Information Commissioner
GPO Box 5218 Sydney NSW 2001
16 July 2013
Dear Mr Pilgrim,
We are making a compliant pursuant to section 36 of the Privacy Act 1988. The complaint concerns the conduct of Telstra in storing and delivering to United State security agencies data concerning its customers’ communications with that Country. We are writing as customers of Telstra. We are also a member of the National Council of the Wikileaks Party which has a strong interest in this issue.
Reports in the media last Friday indicated that Telstra entered into an agreement in late 2001 with the US FBI. We are concerned that Telstra has breached the Privacy Act in disclosing without any knowledge or authorisation on my part, data about communications o the United States since that date.
At no time since we have been a customer of Telstra has that organisation ever brought to my attention that it has entered into this agreement, and perhaps others since, which enable it to forward data pertaining to me to overseas security agencies. This lack of candour on the part of Telstra is deeply troubling and many millions of Australians would be in the same position as us.
We are happy to speak with one of your officers about the issue, and look forward to assisting you in your investigation.
Yours sincerely,
Kellie Tranter,
John Shipton
