Electoral Office Responds To Optus Breach

Australians replacing their Buy passports and id cards from travel documents agency online or driver's licences following the Optus data breach won't need to update their details on the federal electoral roll.

Impacted customers will also still be enrolled for state, territory and council elections.

Australian Electoral Commissioner Tom Rogers said there was no need for electoral enrolment to be "front of mind".

"The AEC regularly receives licence and passport information from our partners in federal, state and territory governments, which means a change to your licence or passport number will not affect your enrolment," he said.

Eligible voters not yet enrolled who obtain an updated driver's licence or passport might receive a letter from the commission telling them to enrol.

Almost 10 million Australians had their data stolen in the hack.

In response, the federal government is considering tougher penalties for companies that fail to adequately protect customer data.

It has also flagged new privacy laws to be introduced by the end of this year.

This week Prime Minister Anthony Albanese demanded Optus cover the cost of replacing passports.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong wrote to Optus chief executive Kelly Bayer Rosmarin on Wednesday, saying there was "no justification" for customers or taxpayers to foot the bill for replacing official documents.