AUSTRALIA JOINS FORCES WITH US AND UK IN WAR AGAINST SPAM

4 July 2004
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Australia has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the United States and United Kingdom in a move to toughen international action against spam.

This MoU demonstrates the shared determination of Australia, the US and the UK to provide anti-spam enforcement agencies with the tools and information needed to effectively target spammers.

And it demonstrates Australia's continuing frontline role in the global fight against spam.

Spam is an international problem and often crosses national borders into jurisdictions with different laws.

The MoU provides a partnership arrangement for Australian spam enforcers to share information and cooperate with their counterparts in the US and the UK in investigating cross-border spamming activities.

Participating agencies include the Australian Communications Authority (ACA) and Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), the US Federal Trade Commission, and the Department of Trade and Industry, the Information Commissioner and the Office of Fair Trading in the UK.

The majority of Australia's spam comes from abroad and there is no single, simple solution to the problem.

Spam needs to be tackled through a global, multi-pronged approach that blends regulation, self-regulation and industry initiatives, technical solutions and user awareness.

In Australia, the Government has introduced domestic legislation in the form of the Spam Act 2003, which imposes penalties of up to $1.1 million per day for those who persist in sending spam.

The Government has also pursued international cooperation such as the MoU with the US and UK, developed public education material about how to avoid spam and, through the ACA, is continuing to work with online marketing companies and ISPs to develop industry codes to help combat the rising tide of spam.

The MoU with the US and UK will support Australia's efforts to fight spam and help the continuing development of the information economy.

Australia, like the US and UK, has been active in other international forums, such as the OECD and International Telecommunication Union in pursuing an anti-spam agenda.


Media Contact: Carina Tan-Van Baren (02) 6277 7480 or 0439 425 373