E-commerce laws to be upgraded

The Standing Committee of Attorneys-General (SCAG) yesterday agreed to amend state and territory Electronic Transactions Acts, following "overwhelming support" for reforms aimed at addressing technological advances since the present uniform ETAs -- based on the 1996 Model Law on E-Commerce -- were adopted.
To date, 18 countries, including China, Singapore and the Republic of Korea have signed the convention. The Law Council of Australia's e-commerce committee has urged the SCAG to also remedy variations in electronic transactions rules across Australia. "Given the benefits to be achieved in international harmony in relation to electronic transactions, it would be ironic if the opportunity were not taken to also achieve better harmony on the domestic side at the same time," the council said.
"We believe the extent of variations is beyond what is appropriate in an internet context, where state boundaries ought to be irrelevant." The attorneys-general also agreed that a SCAG working group would develop "voluntary guidelines" to assist employers and workers on workplace privacy issues, such as surveillance and email, and internet monitoring.
The guidelines are to be developed in consultation with federal and state Privacy Commissioners, as well as employer groups, unions and other interested parties.