April 5, 2023
Kimberley Caines
The West Australian
Wednesday 5 April 2023
WA will follow the lead of the Commonwealth in banning TikTok on government-issued devices after advice from intelligence agencies over security concerns.
Premier Mark McGowan said he deleted "a whole bunch of apps a while age" and that his Government would fall into line with the Federal Government on a TikTok ban and other security matters.
"We'll follow the advice the Commonwealth Government has given us, and any advice they provide, and in relation to that or other security matters we'll follow," he said.
Federal Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus said concerns over the Chinese-owned social media app related to the potential for data to be compromised by Beijing under national laws that can compel companies to hand over information.
"I authorised the secretary of the Attorney-General's Department to issue a mandatory direction under the Protective Security Policy Framework to prohibit the TikTok app on devices issued by Commonwealth departments and agencies," Mr Dreyfus said.
"The direction will come into effect as soon as practicable."
Mr Dreyfus said the policy grants exemptions on a case-by-case basis and with appropriate security mitigations in place.
Beijing has complained to Canberra over the move with Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning urging the "Australian side to earnestly abide by the rules of the market economy and the principles of fair competition".
She added Australia needed to "provide Chinese companies with a fair, transparent and non-discriminatory business environment".
TikTok maintains there is no evidence to suggest the app constitutes a security concern.
"We're yet to see any evidence of that at all. What we're saying is - judge us on the facts and the actions, not on our country of origin," TikTok Australia and NZ boss Lee Hunter said.
Earlier in the year, the McGowan Government revealed it was taking cybersecurity advice from the Commonwealth on whether to remove Chinese-made security cameras in its offices.
The Protective Security Policy Framework states the TikTok app "poses significant security and privacy risks to non-corporate Commonwealth entities arising from extensive collection of user data and exposure to extrajudicial directions from a foreign government that conflict with Australian law".
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton said the Coalition supported the decision but questioned why it had taken the Government so long to ban the app after a global crackdown.
Shadow cybersecurity minister James Paterson said the Albanese Government's move to ban TikTok would bring Australia into line with the US, UK, Canada, New Zealand and European Union.
