Reports from the Attorney-General's department contained information regarding the continued access of Australians' personal information almost 300,000 times or exactly 293,501 times between 2011and 2012.

Government agencies including the police department and RSPCA have access to metadata gathered from phone calls and internet usage of Australian. The annual report from the Telecommunications act reveals the information in the midst of the biggest national security leak in the US courtesy of a whistleblower who once worked for the NSA.

The Telecommunications act allows organisations after approval of application to access existing documents and information which include phone call and internet access details. Organisations like the police department can access subscribers' personal information, time and date of Internet access.

The police department was cited as the heaviest users of metadata. The NSW police had made 103,824 requests for personal information. The number of requests has increased three times more since the previous year.

Outside the police force, the Queensland Crime and Misconduct Commission made 7,040 requests. The Customs Service, tax office and other government departments requested for subscribers' personal information as well. The RSPCA was not an exception as it obtained access to branches in Tasmania, Queensland and Victoria.

Government use of metadata in 2009-2010 was 243,631 times. The police department can access personal information since there is no Australian law preventing the department from doing so and it doesn't have to prove a suspicion about a crime. The Australian Greens want to do something about improving the privacy of the people by introducing a bill to change the law.

Australian Greens to introduce bill

The Greens will attempt to make government agencies obtain a warrant before accessing Australians' personal information through phone and internet records. There is no barrier for the police to acquire the data that they want because they simply have to fill up a form before given access.

As The Guardian published damaging information about the intelligence-gathering practices of US security agencies, countries around the world have pushed for an inquiry and find out the truth once and for all. Australian Greens Senator Scott Ludlam will be introducing a bill involving the stipulation of a warrant before government authorities can access private data.

The Australian government refuses to comment on its intelligence and national security practices.