Australian Politics Forum - Cabinet files security breach

Gordon Gold Member Offline Australian Politics Posts: 21983 Gordon Gender:	Cabinet files security breach Jan 31^st, 2018 at 11:14am Hundreds of top-secret and highly classified cabinet documents have been obtained by the ABC following an extraordinary breach of national security. http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-01-31/cabinet-files-reveal-inner-government-deci...
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Gordon

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Re: Cabinet files security breach
Reply #1 - Jan 31^st, 2018 at 11:15am

Nearly 200 top-secret code word protected and sensitive documents were left in the office of senior minister Penny Wong when Labor lost the 2013 election.

The 195 documents included Middle East defence plans, national security briefs, Afghan war updates, intelligence on Australia's neighbours and details of counter-terrorism operations.

These are not the same documents the ABC has obtained as part of The Cabinet Files, nor are they the same documents lost by the Australian Federal Police.

The sensitive documents found in Senator Wong's office should have been destroyed, according to a document in The Cabinet Files.

All the documents were security classified, with several marked "top secret" and code word protected, which is the highest level of classification in Australia.

The release of top-secret documents would cause "exceptionally grave damage to the national interest", according to the government's classification guide.

Senator Wong was the leader of the government in the Senate and a member of the powerful National Security Committee (NSC), which means she had access to the country's most secret and sensitive information.

The breach is revealed in a series of emails between the Department of Finance and the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet from late 2013.

The emails reveal security staff found the documents left in the office after the election and oversaw their destruction.

Westminster convention stipulates cabinet ministers bear the ultimate responsibility for the actions of their staff, which means Senator Wong is ultimately responsible for the breach even if she did not personally leave the documents in the office.

The documents found in Senator Wong's office include:

Defence plans to protect the United Arab Emirates from Iranian hostilities
National security intelligence priorities
Counter-terrorism intelligence planning documents
Details of missile upgrades
Profiles of terror suspects
Issues with Australian Defence Force operations in Afghanistan
Deficiencies in Defence security vetting

Explore the full list of documents left in Penny Wong's office.

The office of the new prime minister, Tony Abbott, was notified of the security breach in October 2013.

The Department of Finance investigated the security breach but took no further action because they had "no proof of who left them there".

The ABC has contacted Senator Wong's office for comment.

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Bam

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Re: Cabinet files security breach
Reply #2 - Jan 31^st, 2018 at 12:41pm

I see you are being selective again.

Why aren't you discussing the documents lost by the AFP? Why not tell us about the ones that turned up for sale inside a locked filing cabinet? These breaches seem to occur with governments from both sides of politics, the AFP and other parts of the public service bureaucracy. All need to be discussed, not just the incident you're highlighting.

It's obvious that the AFP and the Parliament are both in need of a review of security procedures. Singling out one example for partisan reasons doesn't change that.

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You are not entitled to your opinion. You are only entitled to hold opinions that you can defend through sound, reasoned argument.

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Gordon

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Re: Cabinet files security breach
Reply #3 - Jan 31^st, 2018 at 12:55pm

Bam wrote on Jan 31^st, 2018 at 12:41pm:

I see you are being selective again.

Why aren't you discussing the documents lost by the AFP? Why not tell us about the ones that turned up for sale inside a locked filing cabinet? These breaches seem to occur with governments from both sides of politics, the AFP and other parts of the public service bureaucracy. All need to be discussed, not just the incident you're highlighting.

It's obvious that the AFP and the Parliament are both in need of a review of security procedures. Singling out one example for partisan reasons doesn't change that.

Well spotted but I was citing an example that directly links to a politician.

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Its time Gold Member Offline Boot libs out Posts: 25639 Gender:	Re: Cabinet files security breach Reply #4 - Jan 31^st, 2018 at 2:02pm The Department of Finance investigated the security breach but took no further action because they had "no proof of who left them there"
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Aussie

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Re: Cabinet files security breach
Reply #5 - Jan 31^st, 2018 at 2:20pm

Its time wrote on Jan 31^st, 2018 at 2:02pm:

The Department of Finance investigated the security breach but took no further action because they had "no proof of who left them there"

Why is there no thought going into a ban on the schmedia reporting publicly the full detailed harvest of breaches of security?

It's bad enough that the systems are so lax that this could occur but that is seriously aggravated by an eager schedia itching to release top secret information. Traitors?

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Yadda Gold Member Offline Posts: 23041 A cat with a view	Re: Cabinet files security breach Reply #6 - Jan 31^st, 2018 at 2:23pm @Reply #1 Wow, that is appalling. Someone really, really, needs to be charged, over all this. And if found guilty on the charges, do some serious gaol time, imo.
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Aussie Gold Member Offline OzPolitic Posts: 39946 Gender:	Re: Cabinet files security breach Reply #7 - Jan 31^st, 2018 at 2:35pm Yadda wrote on Jan 31^st, 2018 at 2:23pm: @Reply #1 Wow, that is appalling. Someone really, really, needs to be charged, over all this. And if found guilty on the charges, do some serious gaol time, imo. Who should be charged?
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Gordon Gold Member Offline Australian Politics Posts: 21983 Gordon Gender:	Re: Cabinet files security breach Reply #8 - Jan 31^st, 2018 at 3:13pm The ABC should have reported the way the documents were found and returned them without disclosing the content.
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Yadda

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Re: Cabinet files security breach
Reply #9 - Jan 31^st, 2018 at 3:26pm

Aussie wrote on Jan 31^st, 2018 at 2:35pm:

Yadda wrote on Jan 31^st, 2018 at 2:23pm:

@Reply #1

Wow, that is appalling.

Someone really, really, needs to be charged, over all this.

And if found guilty on the charges, do some serious gaol time, imo.

Who should be charged?

Easy.

The very last person whose hands, these classified and secret documents were legally put into.

Him or her.

If he/she can't account for the further lawful 'hand-on' [to another person] of those classified and secret documents, then the last person who lawfully held them should be charged.

Make an example of this CRIMINALLY negligent/careless person!!!

The careless negligence like the above report exposes/tells, could cause innocent people to be killed.

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"....And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead."
Luke 16:31

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Aussie Gold Member Offline OzPolitic Posts: 39946 Gender:	Re: Cabinet files security breach Reply #10 - Jan 31^st, 2018 at 3:32pm What about the person who last unlawfully held them?
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Bobby. Gold Member Offline Australian Politics Posts: 122414 Melbourne Gender:	Re: Cabinet files security breach Reply #11 - Jan 31^st, 2018 at 3:46pm Gordon wrote on Jan 31^st, 2018 at 3:13pm: The ABC should have reported the way the documents were found and returned them without disclosing the content. That is correct - the 66 million dollar question: can they be charged for reading and publishing them?
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Aussie

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Re: Cabinet files security breach
Reply #12 - Jan 31^st, 2018 at 3:50pm

Bobby. wrote on Jan 31^st, 2018 at 3:46pm:

Gordon wrote on Jan 31^st, 2018 at 3:13pm:

The ABC should have reported the way the documents were found and returned them without disclosing the content.

That is correct -

the 66 million dollar question:

can they be charged for reading and publishing them?

Read for yourself:

Link.

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Bobby.

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Re: Cabinet files security breach
Reply #13 - Jan 31^st, 2018 at 3:57pm

Aussie wrote on Jan 31^st, 2018 at 3:50pm:

Bobby. wrote on Jan 31^st, 2018 at 3:46pm:

Gordon wrote on Jan 31^st, 2018 at 3:13pm:

The ABC should have reported the way the documents were found and returned them without disclosing the content.

That is correct -

the 66 million dollar question:

can they be charged for reading and publishing them?

Read for yourself:

Link.

It doesn't really deal with finding top secret documents.

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Aussie Gold Member Offline OzPolitic Posts: 39946 Gender:	Re: Cabinet files security breach Reply #14 - Jan 31^st, 2018 at 3:58pm It absolutely does. Read it.
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