AUSTRALIA COMPUTER STOLEN http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/more-news/alp-orders-hacking-probe/story-fn7x8me2-1226040219362

ALP orders hacking probe

• James Campbell 
• From:Sunday Herald Sun 
• April 17, 2011 12:00AM

THE ALP has obtained legal advice on the laws relating to computer hacking after its IT systems were accessed during last year's state election via computers housed within The Age newspaper office.

The advice was sought after an ALP audit of the party's Eleczilla database, which contains the personal details of millions of Victorians, found it had been accessed from two computer terminals inside The Age.

The database holds the names, addresses, phone numbers and marital status of every Victorian on the electoral roll, and confidential details of correspondence from the public with the ALP.

The source said the database had been accessed many times, with searches for the personal details of scores of individuals.

"They didn't just look at it - they attempted to copy it," the source said.

The ALP believes the password to hack the site was obtained from a laptop computer stolen from a union's offices during the election.

Last November, The Age published a report by Royce Millar and Nick McKenzie in which they said the newspaper had "gained access" to the ALP's database.

The Sunday Herald Sun has obtained a copy of legal advice from a major plaintiff law firm on the implications of accessing a database without permission.

"The maximum penalty is two years' imprisonment and the offence attracts absolute liability ... there is no available defence such as public interest," it said.

A source said the party was puzzled why the database had been accessed from Fairfax's offices and not an internet cafe, where "we would never have known about it".

ALP state secretary Noah Carroll said the matter was under investigation, but Labor sources said a decision over whether to refer the matter to the police had yet to be made.

"We are aware of a breach and are considering our actions on an ongoing basis," Mr Carroll said.

Paul Ramadge, editor-in-chief of The Age, denied hacking.

"No journalist at The Age at any stage hacked into an ALP database," he said.

"The Age was provided with access to a database by people involved in the ALP's election campaign.

"They had come to us saying the database raised questions about how the party was gaining access to people's private information."

campbelljam@heraldsun.com.au