COVIDSafe App - Submission to the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights

Abstract

This submission to the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights sets out how the Australian government’s scheme around the COVIDSafe app can better align with the human right to privacy. We recognise the app pursues a legitimate objective and that the Biosecurity (Human Biosecurity Emergency) (Human Coronavirus with Pandemic Potential) (Emergency Requirements—Public Health Contact Information) Determination 2020 (Cth) and exposure draft of Privacy Amendment (Public Health Contact Information) Bill 2020 provide important protections. Nevertheless, we make a series of recommendations that would improve the transparency of the scheme and better protect the privacy of those downloading and using the app.

Keywords: COVIDSafe, contact tracing app, Australia, COVID-19, Covid 19, Coronavirus, Corona virus, apps, privacy, human rights, Bluetooth, Biosecurity, pandemic