Political parties hold vast amounts of data about Australians. Experts say it’s a growing risk

<p>Ransomware attack puts focus on privacy risks for political parties, which are exempt from many data protection obligations</p><ul><li><p>Get our <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/email-newsletters?CMP=cvau_sfl">breaking news email</a>, <a href="https://app.adjust.com/w4u7jx3">free app</a> or <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/series/full-story?CMP=cvau_sfl">daily news podcast</a></p></li></ul><p>More than two years before the data breach of Clive Palmer’s Trumpet of Patriots and United Australia parties, the federal government was warned that there was a significant risk to political parties – which are exempt from many data protection obligations – holding sensitive information on voters.</p><p>The ransomware attack on Trumpet of Patriots <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/jul/17/clive-palmer-trumpet-of-patriots-united-australia-party-data-breach-ransomware-attack-ntwnfb">earlier this month</a> was the first time Australians became aware of a major data breach of any political party. It only became public information because the party decided to report it. The attack also affected the United Australia party.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/jul/27/trumpet-of-patriots-hack-calls-for-political-parties-report-data-breaches-ntwnfb">Continue reading...</a>