❓ A WA MP questions the Department of Premier and Cabinet (DPC) regarding access to MPs' email accounts, particularly concerning security and potential unauthorised access. The DPC denies unauthorised access and outlines security measures.
AnsweredQoN 5433Legislative Assembly
Asked
29 August 2019
Member
Portfolio
Premier; Minister for Public Sector Management; State Development, Jobs and Trade; Federal-State Relations
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to office email data for Members of Parliament (MP), held by a Government agency, presumably the Department of Premier and Cabinet (DPC), and ask: (a) Other than that requested by the Corruption and Crime Commission (CCC), has the head of DPC or someone in
his authority, authorised access to any MP's email accounts.: (i) If yes, what is the nature of this access and why; and (ii) If yes, who has accessed the accounts and under what authority; (b) What guarantees are in place to ensure emails from electoral offices of
sitting MP's have a level of security commensurate with the
parliamentary privilege they are given; (c) Who has authority to manage the email accounts of MP’s electoral offices; (d) Can the head of DPC guarantee there has been no unauthorised access to such accounts; (e) What oversight is in place to ensure there is no unauthorised access to such accounts; and (f) Has the premier had briefings from DPC on matters related to access to email data from sitting MP's email accounts: (i) If so, when were those briefings and who was in attendance?
his authority, authorised access to any MP's email accounts.: (i) If yes, what is the nature of this access and why; and (ii) If yes, who has accessed the accounts and under what authority; (b) What guarantees are in place to ensure emails from electoral offices of
sitting MP's have a level of security commensurate with the
parliamentary privilege they are given; (c) Who has authority to manage the email accounts of MP’s electoral offices; (d) Can the head of DPC guarantee there has been no unauthorised access to such accounts; (e) What oversight is in place to ensure there is no unauthorised access to such accounts; and (f) Has the premier had briefings from DPC on matters related to access to email data from sitting MP's email accounts: (i) If so, when were those briefings and who was in attendance?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
15 October 2019
Response time
10 days
The Department of the Premier and Cabinet
(a) No. The Director General of the Department of Premier and Cabinet has stated on the public record that neither he nor any member of his Department has viewed or accessed email accounts of current or former Members or their staff, and he would consider it improper to do so.
(i) Not Applicable.
(ii) Not Applicable.
(b) Emails are secured in accordance with the strict general computer controls applicable for the Members of Parliament. These controls are consistent and delivered in the same manner as the previous Government.
(c) Senior DPC IT support staff are responsible for the management of the email accounts of MPs electoral offices. However, it is important to note that Parliamentary Electorate Office network storage is not retained on any Departmental Servers and is stored at the Electorate Office.
(d) Yes.
(e) Existing IT security access controls are applied as part of IT administration management.
(f) Not Applicable.
(a) No. The Director General of the Department of Premier and Cabinet has stated on the public record that neither he nor any member of his Department has viewed or accessed email accounts of current or former Members or their staff, and he would consider it improper to do so.
(i) Not Applicable.
(ii) Not Applicable.
(b) Emails are secured in accordance with the strict general computer controls applicable for the Members of Parliament. These controls are consistent and delivered in the same manner as the previous Government.
(c) Senior DPC IT support staff are responsible for the management of the email accounts of MPs electoral offices. However, it is important to note that Parliamentary Electorate Office network storage is not retained on any Departmental Servers and is stored at the Electorate Office.
(d) Yes.
(e) Existing IT security access controls are applied as part of IT administration management.
(f) Not Applicable.
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