Sussan Ley offers Albanese support to overhaul Australia's child care system after horrific sex abuse cases
The Education Minister has vowed to introduce new reforms allowing unannounced compliance checks at childcare centres without a warrant within the first sitting fortnight of Parliament when it returns on July 22.
The legislation push follows charges against Joshua Brown for dozens of child sex offences and would also give the Government power to strip funding from centres that fail to meet safety and quality standards.
In her step away from the previous stonewalling approach of former Liberal government, Ms Ley has written to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to show her support for radical new laws to help protect children.
'I want to work constructively and collaboratively with the government. This subject is too horrible, too awful, too upsetting and it is making the community so angry and distressed,' she told 7NEWS.
'We're ready to start this today. Children need to be protected.
'Clearly there are loopholes in the system which allow predators to prey on children.' and it is just so horrific.
'This is above politics. I want to sit down with the government and work on something straight away.
'So that when they bring legislation into the parliament as they have said they will do, we are ready to pass it without no fuss.
'I've written to the prime minister to offer my full support and collaboration.'
New legislation will give the Government stronger powers to act against childcare providers that fail safety standards or commit fraud, such as banning them from opening new centres, and cutting off subsidy access among other measures.
Education Minister Jason Clare told 7NEWS on Sunday the Opposition was being briefed on reform efforts and has welcomed Ms Ley's offer of full cooperation.
'When Parliament returns this month, I will introduce laws to cut off funding to centres that aren't up to scratch,' he said.
'This is the big weapon that the Australian Government has to wield here. I welcome the Opposition's support for laws that strengthen child care regulation.'
Shadow Education Minister Jonathon Duniam is working closely with ministers to develop the legislation and ensure its swift passage when introduced to Parliament.
The scale of the government's election win on May 3, securing a 51-seat majority in the House of Representatives, means it no longer relies on Coalition support to govern and only needs the Greens' cooperation to pass legislation in the Senate.
Ms Ley said the party had reflected on its past positions, dubbed the 'Noalition', and was taking lessons from the devastating election result to better serve the public interest.
'The tone I want to set from the first is that we have listened to the Australian people. And that we do want to be collaborative where we can be, where we need to be and where it is in the national interest,' she said.
'My offer is all about respecting the safety of children and putting them front and centre.'
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The Advertiser
42 minutes ago
- The Advertiser
Universities, arts face cuts under anti-Semitism plan
Australian universities and cultural institutions could have their funding withheld as part of a sweeping plan to clamp down on anti-Semitism. The Special Envoy to Combat Anti-Semitism Jillian Segal has produced a report saying that cultural and educational spaces, specifically university campuses, are places where Jewish Australians suffered discrimination. As a result, its recommendations call on the federal government to work with Ms Segal to withhold funding from universities, programs or individuals within universities that facilitate, enable or fail to act against anti-Semitism. Public grants for university centres and academics could also be terminated if recipients engage in "anti-Semitic or otherwise discriminatory or hateful speech or actions". "Universities will continue to be held accountable," Ms Segal told reporters in Sydney as she delivered her findings to the federal government. "When my report speaks of education ... it is not just about education on the history of the Middle East or education about anti-Semitism, it is education about how to have civil dialogue and we've lost that." About 60 per cent of Australian Jewish students who experienced anti-Semitism in 2024 felt unsupported by their institutions, according to a survey by the Australian Union of Jewish Students referred to in Ms Segal's report. Cultural institutions, broadcasters and artists also featured, as the report recommended governments ensure public funding isn't used to support or implicitly endorse anti-Semitism themes or narratives. It suggests terms in agreements to allow funding to be pulled from institutions or festivals that promote, facilitate or don't "effectively deal with" hate or anti-Semitism. There are some concerns that the plan could stifle legitimate criticism of Israel, whose violence in Gaza - in the wake of the October 7, 2024, killings of Israeli citizens by Hamas - has resulted in the deaths of more than 57,000 Palestinians. A slew of Australian arts bodies, including the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, the State Library of Australia and Creative Australia, faced backlash after revoking opportunities from artists who had been outspoken critics of Israel. And the report recommended that higher education institutions and all levels of government adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's controversial definition of anti-Semitism, which has been criticised for conflating criticism of Israel and Zionism with anti-Semitism. When asked about scrutiny of Israel, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said that people had a right to their perspectives but did not have a right to bring conflict to Australia. "Whatever your view on the Middle East, it is not advanced by attacking people here in Australia because of who they are, because of their faith, because of their identity - it's completely unacceptable," he told reporters in Sydney, standing alongside Ms Segal. "The kind of hatred and violence that we've seen on our streets recently is despicable, and it won't be tolerated." He welcomed her plan, but noted the government and society would need to collaborate to ensure anti-Semitism was "pushed to the margins". Ms Segal's report has been in the works since her July 2024 appointment, which itself was a response to a rise in anti-Semitism following the October 7 attacks. An East Melbourne synagogue was set alight on Friday night, seven months after a firebombing at the Adass Israel Synagogue of Melbourne about 20 minutes away. There have been multiple incidents of vandalism at Jewish schools and synagogues, as well as a firebombing at the former home of a prominent community leader in Sydney in late 2024. According to the report, there was a 300 per cent rise in threats, vandalism and physical violence against Jewish Australians between October 2023 and September 2024, driven by offline and online extremist ideologies. But anti-Semitism had already been steadily rising in Australia prior to October 7. Federal Opposition Leader Sussan Ley has urged the prime minister to act on Ms Segal's recommendations. "This report shows anti-Semitism is not just a problem of security or law enforcement," she said. "It's a cultural and societal cancer that needs attention through our schools, universities, media, and even the arts." Australian universities and cultural institutions could have their funding withheld as part of a sweeping plan to clamp down on anti-Semitism. The Special Envoy to Combat Anti-Semitism Jillian Segal has produced a report saying that cultural and educational spaces, specifically university campuses, are places where Jewish Australians suffered discrimination. As a result, its recommendations call on the federal government to work with Ms Segal to withhold funding from universities, programs or individuals within universities that facilitate, enable or fail to act against anti-Semitism. Public grants for university centres and academics could also be terminated if recipients engage in "anti-Semitic or otherwise discriminatory or hateful speech or actions". "Universities will continue to be held accountable," Ms Segal told reporters in Sydney as she delivered her findings to the federal government. "When my report speaks of education ... it is not just about education on the history of the Middle East or education about anti-Semitism, it is education about how to have civil dialogue and we've lost that." About 60 per cent of Australian Jewish students who experienced anti-Semitism in 2024 felt unsupported by their institutions, according to a survey by the Australian Union of Jewish Students referred to in Ms Segal's report. Cultural institutions, broadcasters and artists also featured, as the report recommended governments ensure public funding isn't used to support or implicitly endorse anti-Semitism themes or narratives. It suggests terms in agreements to allow funding to be pulled from institutions or festivals that promote, facilitate or don't "effectively deal with" hate or anti-Semitism. There are some concerns that the plan could stifle legitimate criticism of Israel, whose violence in Gaza - in the wake of the October 7, 2024, killings of Israeli citizens by Hamas - has resulted in the deaths of more than 57,000 Palestinians. A slew of Australian arts bodies, including the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, the State Library of Australia and Creative Australia, faced backlash after revoking opportunities from artists who had been outspoken critics of Israel. And the report recommended that higher education institutions and all levels of government adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's controversial definition of anti-Semitism, which has been criticised for conflating criticism of Israel and Zionism with anti-Semitism. When asked about scrutiny of Israel, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said that people had a right to their perspectives but did not have a right to bring conflict to Australia. "Whatever your view on the Middle East, it is not advanced by attacking people here in Australia because of who they are, because of their faith, because of their identity - it's completely unacceptable," he told reporters in Sydney, standing alongside Ms Segal. "The kind of hatred and violence that we've seen on our streets recently is despicable, and it won't be tolerated." He welcomed her plan, but noted the government and society would need to collaborate to ensure anti-Semitism was "pushed to the margins". Ms Segal's report has been in the works since her July 2024 appointment, which itself was a response to a rise in anti-Semitism following the October 7 attacks. An East Melbourne synagogue was set alight on Friday night, seven months after a firebombing at the Adass Israel Synagogue of Melbourne about 20 minutes away. There have been multiple incidents of vandalism at Jewish schools and synagogues, as well as a firebombing at the former home of a prominent community leader in Sydney in late 2024. According to the report, there was a 300 per cent rise in threats, vandalism and physical violence against Jewish Australians between October 2023 and September 2024, driven by offline and online extremist ideologies. But anti-Semitism had already been steadily rising in Australia prior to October 7. Federal Opposition Leader Sussan Ley has urged the prime minister to act on Ms Segal's recommendations. "This report shows anti-Semitism is not just a problem of security or law enforcement," she said. "It's a cultural and societal cancer that needs attention through our schools, universities, media, and even the arts." Australian universities and cultural institutions could have their funding withheld as part of a sweeping plan to clamp down on anti-Semitism. The Special Envoy to Combat Anti-Semitism Jillian Segal has produced a report saying that cultural and educational spaces, specifically university campuses, are places where Jewish Australians suffered discrimination. As a result, its recommendations call on the federal government to work with Ms Segal to withhold funding from universities, programs or individuals within universities that facilitate, enable or fail to act against anti-Semitism. Public grants for university centres and academics could also be terminated if recipients engage in "anti-Semitic or otherwise discriminatory or hateful speech or actions". "Universities will continue to be held accountable," Ms Segal told reporters in Sydney as she delivered her findings to the federal government. "When my report speaks of education ... it is not just about education on the history of the Middle East or education about anti-Semitism, it is education about how to have civil dialogue and we've lost that." About 60 per cent of Australian Jewish students who experienced anti-Semitism in 2024 felt unsupported by their institutions, according to a survey by the Australian Union of Jewish Students referred to in Ms Segal's report. Cultural institutions, broadcasters and artists also featured, as the report recommended governments ensure public funding isn't used to support or implicitly endorse anti-Semitism themes or narratives. It suggests terms in agreements to allow funding to be pulled from institutions or festivals that promote, facilitate or don't "effectively deal with" hate or anti-Semitism. There are some concerns that the plan could stifle legitimate criticism of Israel, whose violence in Gaza - in the wake of the October 7, 2024, killings of Israeli citizens by Hamas - has resulted in the deaths of more than 57,000 Palestinians. A slew of Australian arts bodies, including the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, the State Library of Australia and Creative Australia, faced backlash after revoking opportunities from artists who had been outspoken critics of Israel. And the report recommended that higher education institutions and all levels of government adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's controversial definition of anti-Semitism, which has been criticised for conflating criticism of Israel and Zionism with anti-Semitism. When asked about scrutiny of Israel, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said that people had a right to their perspectives but did not have a right to bring conflict to Australia. "Whatever your view on the Middle East, it is not advanced by attacking people here in Australia because of who they are, because of their faith, because of their identity - it's completely unacceptable," he told reporters in Sydney, standing alongside Ms Segal. "The kind of hatred and violence that we've seen on our streets recently is despicable, and it won't be tolerated." He welcomed her plan, but noted the government and society would need to collaborate to ensure anti-Semitism was "pushed to the margins". Ms Segal's report has been in the works since her July 2024 appointment, which itself was a response to a rise in anti-Semitism following the October 7 attacks. An East Melbourne synagogue was set alight on Friday night, seven months after a firebombing at the Adass Israel Synagogue of Melbourne about 20 minutes away. There have been multiple incidents of vandalism at Jewish schools and synagogues, as well as a firebombing at the former home of a prominent community leader in Sydney in late 2024. According to the report, there was a 300 per cent rise in threats, vandalism and physical violence against Jewish Australians between October 2023 and September 2024, driven by offline and online extremist ideologies. But anti-Semitism had already been steadily rising in Australia prior to October 7. Federal Opposition Leader Sussan Ley has urged the prime minister to act on Ms Segal's recommendations. "This report shows anti-Semitism is not just a problem of security or law enforcement," she said. "It's a cultural and societal cancer that needs attention through our schools, universities, media, and even the arts." Australian universities and cultural institutions could have their funding withheld as part of a sweeping plan to clamp down on anti-Semitism. The Special Envoy to Combat Anti-Semitism Jillian Segal has produced a report saying that cultural and educational spaces, specifically university campuses, are places where Jewish Australians suffered discrimination. As a result, its recommendations call on the federal government to work with Ms Segal to withhold funding from universities, programs or individuals within universities that facilitate, enable or fail to act against anti-Semitism. Public grants for university centres and academics could also be terminated if recipients engage in "anti-Semitic or otherwise discriminatory or hateful speech or actions". "Universities will continue to be held accountable," Ms Segal told reporters in Sydney as she delivered her findings to the federal government. "When my report speaks of education ... it is not just about education on the history of the Middle East or education about anti-Semitism, it is education about how to have civil dialogue and we've lost that." About 60 per cent of Australian Jewish students who experienced anti-Semitism in 2024 felt unsupported by their institutions, according to a survey by the Australian Union of Jewish Students referred to in Ms Segal's report. Cultural institutions, broadcasters and artists also featured, as the report recommended governments ensure public funding isn't used to support or implicitly endorse anti-Semitism themes or narratives. It suggests terms in agreements to allow funding to be pulled from institutions or festivals that promote, facilitate or don't "effectively deal with" hate or anti-Semitism. There are some concerns that the plan could stifle legitimate criticism of Israel, whose violence in Gaza - in the wake of the October 7, 2024, killings of Israeli citizens by Hamas - has resulted in the deaths of more than 57,000 Palestinians. A slew of Australian arts bodies, including the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, the State Library of Australia and Creative Australia, faced backlash after revoking opportunities from artists who had been outspoken critics of Israel. And the report recommended that higher education institutions and all levels of government adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's controversial definition of anti-Semitism, which has been criticised for conflating criticism of Israel and Zionism with anti-Semitism. When asked about scrutiny of Israel, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said that people had a right to their perspectives but did not have a right to bring conflict to Australia. "Whatever your view on the Middle East, it is not advanced by attacking people here in Australia because of who they are, because of their faith, because of their identity - it's completely unacceptable," he told reporters in Sydney, standing alongside Ms Segal. "The kind of hatred and violence that we've seen on our streets recently is despicable, and it won't be tolerated." He welcomed her plan, but noted the government and society would need to collaborate to ensure anti-Semitism was "pushed to the margins". Ms Segal's report has been in the works since her July 2024 appointment, which itself was a response to a rise in anti-Semitism following the October 7 attacks. An East Melbourne synagogue was set alight on Friday night, seven months after a firebombing at the Adass Israel Synagogue of Melbourne about 20 minutes away. There have been multiple incidents of vandalism at Jewish schools and synagogues, as well as a firebombing at the former home of a prominent community leader in Sydney in late 2024. According to the report, there was a 300 per cent rise in threats, vandalism and physical violence against Jewish Australians between October 2023 and September 2024, driven by offline and online extremist ideologies. But anti-Semitism had already been steadily rising in Australia prior to October 7. Federal Opposition Leader Sussan Ley has urged the prime minister to act on Ms Segal's recommendations. "This report shows anti-Semitism is not just a problem of security or law enforcement," she said. "It's a cultural and societal cancer that needs attention through our schools, universities, media, and even the arts."
The Advertiser
43 minutes ago
- The Advertiser
Russia must make reparations for MH17, Australia says
Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong has called for Russia to make reparations for the 2014 downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17, after the European Court of Human Rights found Moscow responsible for the tragedy. The Strasbourg court on Wednesday found Russia failed to verify the target of a missile that shot down a Malaysia Airlines aircraft with 298 people on board over Ukraine's Donetsk region on July 17, 2014. The ECHR also said that Moscow failed to protect the lives of those on board the Boeing 777, which was en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur when it was hit by an anti-aircraft missile fired by pro-Russian rebels. All 298 people on board were killed, including 38 Australians, 96 Dutch nationals and four Germans. Russia denies responsibility for the incident. "We welcome the European Court of Human Rights' ruling that Russia is responsible for the downing of Flight MH17," Wong said on X, calling it a "historic moment for the 298 victims and their loved ones". In May, the council of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) also found Russia responsible for the aircraft's downing under international air law, in a case brought by Australia and the Netherlands. "This ruling follows the ICAO Council's decision in May that Russia is responsible and must negotiate with Australia and the Netherlands on full reparations," Wong said. "We again call upon Russia to face up to its responsibility and make reparations for this horrific act." The impact of the ECHR's decision is limited, as Russia does not recognise the court. Two Russians and a Ukrainian were sentenced in absentia to life imprisonment by a Dutch court in 2022 for murder in 298 cases. Russia continues to deny any responsibility and refuses to extradite the men. Russia was expelled from the Council of Europe following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine and is consequently no longer a member of the European Convention on Human Rights, which the court oversees. However, the court - which is independent of the European Union - can still rule on incidents that occurred up to six months after expulsion. Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong has called for Russia to make reparations for the 2014 downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17, after the European Court of Human Rights found Moscow responsible for the tragedy. The Strasbourg court on Wednesday found Russia failed to verify the target of a missile that shot down a Malaysia Airlines aircraft with 298 people on board over Ukraine's Donetsk region on July 17, 2014. The ECHR also said that Moscow failed to protect the lives of those on board the Boeing 777, which was en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur when it was hit by an anti-aircraft missile fired by pro-Russian rebels. All 298 people on board were killed, including 38 Australians, 96 Dutch nationals and four Germans. Russia denies responsibility for the incident. "We welcome the European Court of Human Rights' ruling that Russia is responsible for the downing of Flight MH17," Wong said on X, calling it a "historic moment for the 298 victims and their loved ones". In May, the council of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) also found Russia responsible for the aircraft's downing under international air law, in a case brought by Australia and the Netherlands. "This ruling follows the ICAO Council's decision in May that Russia is responsible and must negotiate with Australia and the Netherlands on full reparations," Wong said. "We again call upon Russia to face up to its responsibility and make reparations for this horrific act." The impact of the ECHR's decision is limited, as Russia does not recognise the court. Two Russians and a Ukrainian were sentenced in absentia to life imprisonment by a Dutch court in 2022 for murder in 298 cases. Russia continues to deny any responsibility and refuses to extradite the men. Russia was expelled from the Council of Europe following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine and is consequently no longer a member of the European Convention on Human Rights, which the court oversees. However, the court - which is independent of the European Union - can still rule on incidents that occurred up to six months after expulsion. Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong has called for Russia to make reparations for the 2014 downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17, after the European Court of Human Rights found Moscow responsible for the tragedy. The Strasbourg court on Wednesday found Russia failed to verify the target of a missile that shot down a Malaysia Airlines aircraft with 298 people on board over Ukraine's Donetsk region on July 17, 2014. The ECHR also said that Moscow failed to protect the lives of those on board the Boeing 777, which was en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur when it was hit by an anti-aircraft missile fired by pro-Russian rebels. All 298 people on board were killed, including 38 Australians, 96 Dutch nationals and four Germans. Russia denies responsibility for the incident. "We welcome the European Court of Human Rights' ruling that Russia is responsible for the downing of Flight MH17," Wong said on X, calling it a "historic moment for the 298 victims and their loved ones". In May, the council of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) also found Russia responsible for the aircraft's downing under international air law, in a case brought by Australia and the Netherlands. "This ruling follows the ICAO Council's decision in May that Russia is responsible and must negotiate with Australia and the Netherlands on full reparations," Wong said. "We again call upon Russia to face up to its responsibility and make reparations for this horrific act." The impact of the ECHR's decision is limited, as Russia does not recognise the court. Two Russians and a Ukrainian were sentenced in absentia to life imprisonment by a Dutch court in 2022 for murder in 298 cases. Russia continues to deny any responsibility and refuses to extradite the men. Russia was expelled from the Council of Europe following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine and is consequently no longer a member of the European Convention on Human Rights, which the court oversees. However, the court - which is independent of the European Union - can still rule on incidents that occurred up to six months after expulsion. Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong has called for Russia to make reparations for the 2014 downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17, after the European Court of Human Rights found Moscow responsible for the tragedy. The Strasbourg court on Wednesday found Russia failed to verify the target of a missile that shot down a Malaysia Airlines aircraft with 298 people on board over Ukraine's Donetsk region on July 17, 2014. The ECHR also said that Moscow failed to protect the lives of those on board the Boeing 777, which was en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur when it was hit by an anti-aircraft missile fired by pro-Russian rebels. All 298 people on board were killed, including 38 Australians, 96 Dutch nationals and four Germans. Russia denies responsibility for the incident. "We welcome the European Court of Human Rights' ruling that Russia is responsible for the downing of Flight MH17," Wong said on X, calling it a "historic moment for the 298 victims and their loved ones". In May, the council of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) also found Russia responsible for the aircraft's downing under international air law, in a case brought by Australia and the Netherlands. "This ruling follows the ICAO Council's decision in May that Russia is responsible and must negotiate with Australia and the Netherlands on full reparations," Wong said. "We again call upon Russia to face up to its responsibility and make reparations for this horrific act." The impact of the ECHR's decision is limited, as Russia does not recognise the court. Two Russians and a Ukrainian were sentenced in absentia to life imprisonment by a Dutch court in 2022 for murder in 298 cases. Russia continues to deny any responsibility and refuses to extradite the men. Russia was expelled from the Council of Europe following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine and is consequently no longer a member of the European Convention on Human Rights, which the court oversees. However, the court - which is independent of the European Union - can still rule on incidents that occurred up to six months after expulsion.
Sydney Morning Herald
an hour ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
Qantas hack includes Chairman's Lounge membership data
The new detail about the data breach was contained in the broader release of information on the scale of last week's hack of Qantas customer data. About 4 million of the 5.7 million records were limited to name, email address and Qantas frequent flyer details only, the airline said, but a smaller, unspecified, subset had 'points balance and status credits included'. Within the 4 million figure, 1.2 million customer records contained only their name and email address. The data exposed from around 1.7 million Qantas travellers contained a combination of their address (1.3 million), date of birth (1.1 million), phone number (900,000) and gender (400,000), and some – about 10,000 – even had their meal preferences hacked. A week after the incursion into its database, Qantas said the airline could 'reconfirm' that no credit card details, personal financial information or passport details were stored in the system affected 'and therefore have not been accessed'. 'There continues to be no impact to Qantas frequent flyer accounts. Passwords, PINs and login details were not accessed or compromised. The data that was compromised is not enough to gain access to these frequent flyer accounts,' Qantas said in a statement. Last week, after detecting unauthorised activity on a 'third-party platform' used by the airline's contact centre in Manila, the airline called in cyber investigators and began notifying members. On Monday, Qantas said that 'a potential cybercriminal has made contact' with the airline. Hacked data is often used for further digital fraud. Rob Dooley, vice president of cybersecurity company Rapid7, notes that stolen information on its own is 'relatively innocuous'. 'It's when you correlate it with other data such as passwords matching those credentials from other breaches that it becomes valuable. 'It was connecting email addresses used as usernames and hoping those users didn't have two-factor authentication and had not changed their passwords,' said Dooley. This tactic was used in recent attacks on Australian superannuation funds, such as Australian Retirement Trust, AustralianSuper, HostPlus and Insignia Financial. Qantas claims 17 million frequent flyer members globally. The Qantas data breach also follows cyberattacks on Optus and Medibank Private in 2022. The criminals who breached Medibank Private began posting customer data online to coerce the health insurer into paying a ransom. Qantas CEO Vanessa Hudson said the airline had purged data in the aftermath of the damaging hacks of Optus and Medibank in 2022. 'The data we were deleting was more personal identity data that has been historically held in our system, such as passport details and also other relevant identity data. 'That has been an action that we took as a result of the Optus and the Medibank cyberattack,' Hudson said, without detailing the volume of data. Hudson said it was too early to discuss compensation for affected Qantas travellers, as the company was focusing on updating them about the breach. 'By far the majority of customers have said 'the next piece of information that I want from Qantas is the specific details of my data that was breached', which is what we're doing today,' she said. Loading As Hudson spoke, Qantas sent personalised emails to customers detailing what data was breached. 'Our cybersecurity teams have undertaken an investigation and we can confirm that the following types of your data held on the compromised system was accessed,' one email read, outlining that the customer's name, email address and tier of frequent flyer status had been breached. Hudson would not reveal anything about the cybercriminals behind the hack, saying it would be unhelpful to speculate. She referred questions to the Australian Federal Police. The AFP confirmed it was investigating the incident following a request from Qantas. 'Investigators are working closely with the airline and further comment will be provided at an appropriate time,' a spokesperson said. It is understood that the Australian Signals Directorate is also assisting in the response. Qantas urged customers to 'remain alert, especially with email, text messages or telephone calls, particularly where the sender or caller purports to be from Qantas'.
