The metadata laws were passed in 2015.
At least 87 agencies - including councils,the Victorian Institute of Education,the RSPCA and the South Australian fisheries department - were using a"loophole"in the Telecommunications Act to access people's metadata while investigating minor legal breaches.
The mandatory data retention legislation passed in 2015 - made famous by former attorney-general George Brandis ina gaffe-prone interview where he struggled to explain metadata - permitted just 21 agencies to access the metadata.
Under the laws,telecommunications companies must store customer metadata for at least two years so it can be accessed by security and policing agencies if required. Metadata includes the identity of a subscriber and the source,destination,date,time,duration and type of communication. It excludes the content of a message,phone call or email and web-browsing history.
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But section 280 of Telecommunications Act already allowed the release of the data to more agencies"if the use or disclosure is required or authorised by or under law".
In its report tabled in Parliament late on Wednesday afternoon,the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security has recommended only domestic intelligence agency ASIO and other law enforcement agencies listed in the Interception and Access Act be allowed to authorise the disclosure of metadata. This will mean many agencies and bodies previously able to access metadata without a warrant will no longer able to do so.
The inquiry,established in April last year,also recommended the data retention laws only apply to breaches of the law listed in the Interception and Access Act as a"serious offence"or any other offence that is punishable by at least three years imprisonment.