Companies could soon be allowed to read the private emails of employees without their consent, under moves to tighten Australia's online security.
The Commonwealth is considering the laws which give bosses the power to intercept their workers' emails and internet communications.
Attorney-General Robert McClelland has told News Limited, the laws are vital because an attack disabling computers networks on the stock exchange or electricity grid would cause far greater economic damage than a physical terrorist attack.
Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard has told Channel Nine it's a matter of national security.
“If our banking system collapsed, if our government electronic systems collapsed obviously that would have huge implications for society, so we want to make sure that they are safe from terrorist attack.”
Currently emails can only be monitored by security agencies.
An employer must inform an employee if they intend to monitor their mail.
But NSW Council for Civil Liberties President Cameron Murphy has told LIVENEWS.com.au the idea is going too far.
"This is a system that will simply rely on every employer to discover any national security threat," he said.
"What we ought to be doing relying on a national security agency to gather intelligence to determine who to tap and when and how to go about doing that appropriately.
"This is an outrageous invasion of workers' privacy and it's also very difficult to see how this will do anything at all to preserve national security."