Queensland Council for Civil Liberties (QCCL) is concerned the government’s decision to make the Check-in Queensland app mandatory is a privacy risk.
From July 9 mandatory use of the COVID Check-In app will be extended to a range of sectors, including gyms, places of worship, and adult entertainment venues.
QCCL President Michael Cope is concerned about the provision for the data about someone’s location to be stored for 52 days, particularly with the extension of mandatory check-in to new sites.
“Now, the government says it’s not going to be used for any purpose, but that's not what the law is. The law is, as has happened in Western Australia, the police can access this data. Our position is that this data is being collected under emergency circumstances, for a particular purpose, and if that is the government’s intention then it should be prepared to legislate for that because at the moment it could be used for any other purpose that some public servant decides is authorised by law,” said Mr Cope.
The QCCL has expressed dissatisfaction with the “Draconian” extent of the Emergency Powers afforded to the chief medical officer under the public health act.