The breach occurred after Canada-based transcription service provider VIQ Solutions subcontracted some work to e24 Technologies, an India-based technology company.
At the time, staff at VIQ Solutions raised concerns with their managers, but were told the concerns were “not relevant” and were told to stop spreading “rumours” about the issue, according to a report by ABC News. According to the report, this issue was raised as far back as August 2025.
VIQ Solutions, which provides transcription services to Australian courts and tribunals, was found to have breached its contract with the Commonwealth by subcontracting the work, as the decision led to the Indian firm accessing court documents that contain sensitive data, according to the ABC report.
While VIQ staff are required to undergo national security checks and complete a Commonwealth Courts Deed of Confidentiality, it is unclear if e24 staff do the same.
Internal documents at VIQ found that e24 Technologies staff using Indian email addresses had access to thousands of court documents, which contained sensitive data.
Greens Senator David Shoebridge called the incident a “national security risk”.
“Incredibly sensitive evidence from organisations like ASIO, the Australian Federal Police, is given in private court because it could be addressing links to international criminal organisations, potential foreign interference in the country,” he said, adding that the data could do “incredible damage” if in the wrong hands.
“Not just to the national interest, but potentially to undercover police officers and members of the public in Australia.”
ABC News also noted that e24 placed a job advertisement that sought staff proficient in “Australian English” to transcribe legal documents.
However, VIQ staff based in Australia noted that the e24 staff were accessing the court files outside of Australian business hours and transcribing the court files at a speed that was not humanly possible. The transcripts also allegedly contained major errors, which staff at VIQ were left to correct.
Following the ABC investigation, VIQ reviewed its processes, which are believed to include its compliance issues with e24. However, this was done many months after VIQ staff raised the issues.
VIQ management sent a memo to staff, as seen by the ABC, that at the time, the e24 resources were not based in India, but in Sydney.
“To avoid further insinuation and rumours, to be clear, e24 resources are based in Sydney. Please do not communicate information as facts unless it has been confirmed by senior leadership at VIQ,” the memo said.
The ABC noted that since July 2025, at least 12 senior VIQ staff quit or were made redundant, as well as quality and assurance team staff.
One contractor speaking with the ABC said they were concerned about the presence of offshore contract transcribers in shared work portals.
“I was worried about how much the protocols of the Australian Border Force and police, and identities of witnesses and covert operatives, could be sold for by anonymous overseas individuals,” the anonymous contractor said.
“I was constantly worried we would lose our jobs.”
“Finding out on a public holiday we had been locked out of the system was terrifying. Team leaders were fired if they questioned decisions, and no replacements filled their roles … making us scared to ask questions or raise concerns.
“When the quality team were fired, we were expected as contractors to do unpaid quality and training. This only worsened when e24 work began returning [with] poor quality, and we had to rush through retyping, knowing people spent thousands of dollars on the product, and upper management didn’t believe trained staff were worth having perform the work.”
However, VIQ chief executive Larry Taylor told the ABC that contractors need to meet “strict standards” that ensure “we protect the privacy, confidentiality and security of sensitive customer data, such as court recordings”.
“When VIQ contracts work to companies like e24, they are required to adhere to the same strict privacy guidelines, service delivery standards and confidentiality as all employees,” Taylor said in a statement.
“All customer data is stored in Australia in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth), for Australian clients.”
Shoebridge has said that following this investigation, the court’s contract with VIQ needs to be terminated.
“This looks like it’s been very much ‘set and forget’ from the Federal Court going back over years, relying on the blank assurances being given by a private operator and not having the kind of due diligence to double check,” he said.
“I have had multiple whistleblowers, not one, not two, multiple whistleblowers contacting my office, and each time we raise this in public, we get more whistleblowers coming forward and showing very credible evidence.
“Now, if that’s not grounds to urgently terminate this contract and bring back this important public service into public hands, away from a failed privatisation, I don’t know what is.”
A Federal Court of Australia spokesperson said the matter is being taken seriously.
“The listed entity that manages the contract on behalf of the courts takes the matters raised in relation to compliance with the transcript contract extremely seriously and is currently in the process of making enquiries in relation to these issues. As such, the listed entity is currently not in a position to comment any further,” the spokesperson said.
Daniel Croft