Media release – Tasman Peninsula Marine Protection, 15 December 2022
Re: NRE Community Briefing on line session for today – Thursday 5 – 6.30 Ref: 10 Year Salmon Plan Data Breach
Members of the Tasmanian communities are extremely concerned that the Department of Natural Resources and Environment (NRE) has released the private email contact details of attendees to the online Community Briefings on the Draft 10 Year Salmon Plan scheduled for today Thursday 15th, 5.00 – 6.30pm. The NRE data breach reveals close to 50 email addresses of concerned locals, salmon industry representatives, UTas experts and other interested parties.
The data breach occurred when NRE sent details of online Community Briefing sessions for the Draft Salmon Industry Plan to attendees in a group email on Wednesday afternoon and today – Thursday morning.
Concerned community members are alarmed that NRE has made their private contact details readily available. As there is no age limit on attendees to the Community Briefings, NRE may also have released school children’s email details. NRE’s breach of the Tasmanian community’s privacy is in contravention of established data security protocols and puts any member of the public, academia and industry signing up for Community Briefings at risk of exposure to heightened levels of cyber interference.
Some people who signed up to NRE’s online Community Sessions received up to 8 emails all including the email addresses of attendees. The Department of Natural Resources and Environment has previously declined requests for attendees to record the Community Briefings, citing privacy reasons. The data breach begs the question of whether NRE is capable of maintaining appropriate levels of professional scrutiny in its future management of the Tasmanian salmon industry, should the Draft plan be adopted.
Trish Baily, spokesperson for Tasman Peninsula Marine Protection says she is outraged by this exposure of confidentiality especially as NRE are refusing requests that the Community Briefings be recorded citing need to protect privacy of attendees.
