The Home Affairs Department says it will assist in funding and implementing new surveillance capabilities that will see technology companies, device manufacturers and service providers allow greater access to user data.
The legislation, rushed through parliament in the final sitting week last year, allows the home affairs department to crack encrypted messages and further investigate online behaviour of criminal suspects.
Australian Information Industry Association General Manager of policy Kishwar Ramen says he has no confidence that the act provides sufficient safeguards for the online privacy of every day Australians.
It is not possible to determine the  government’s reach as the act prohibits service providers from disclosing what and when law enforcement seeks this assistance.