Court Data Sent to India in 2014 Was Dismissed as 'Minor', Years Before a Second Breach

Newly surfaced emails have revealed that sensitive Australian court data was accessed in India more than a decade ago. Former Auscript national manager Paul Cutbush raised concerns with both federal courts and the Australian Federal Police in December 2014. Auscript was then responsible for transcription services at both courts. The family court described the supplier's failure to tell it about the offshoring as a "technical, minor and inconsequential breach" that would not warrant significant action.

Earlier this year, VIQ Solutions, which took over from Auscript, breached its Commonwealth contract by allowing highly sensitive court files to be accessed in India. After the ABC reported the breach, VIQ was put into liquidation and shut down, following calls for a forensic audit and fears of a potential national security risk. A spokesperson for the Federal Circuit and Family Court said current court leadership was unaware of the earlier offshoring.

Mr Cutbush called the latest breach a "slap in the face" after his concerns were ignored in 2014. He said that questioning the supplier then might have prevented the problems now unfolding. Shadow Attorney General Michaela Cash and Greens leader David Shoebridge are both calling for an investigation.