Prime Minister Scott Morrison, has flagged the COVIDSafe app as being essential for Australia to contain the spread of the pandemic and to be able to ease coronavirus-induced restrictions across the country. The Morrison government is aiming for 6 million downloads of the app by the end of the week and there have been almost 5 million downloads of the app to date.
The app downloads will be a key discussion point when National Cabinet decides whether to ease restrictions. Health Minister Greg Hunt, said strict laws would govern the use of information the app collects. The app will not be fully functional until states and territories finalise rules on privacy, and with the reassurances, for many there remain a number of unanswered questions:
- How safe is the COVIDSafe?
- Can employers force their employees to download the App?
- Who is monitoring the App and tracking the data?
- Upcoming legislation
In Holman Webb's Legal Lockdown series, Chief Marketing and Client Relations Officer Adriana Giometti is joined by Tal Williams, Corporate and Commercial Partner, to explore these questions and discuss the privacy implications of the Australian Government’s COVIDSafe App.