According to newly released documents, the Australian government sought contentious powers to crack encrypted data almost two years before introducing landmark anti-encryption laws that were dubbed “dangerous” by tech industry executives.

In 2018, Australia became the first country in the world to pass legislation requiring tech companies and service providers to develop capabilities that allow law enforcement to gain secret access to messages on platforms like WhatsApp and Facebook, such as push notifications that download malware to a target’s computer or phone.

The legislation, which Canberra claimed was needed to keep “terrorists” and other serious criminals out of jail was met with fierce opposition from privacy experts and tech industry players, who warned that undermining encryption could jeopardize the privacy and security of millions of people around the world.

Documents obtained under freedom of information rules reveal that Canberra’s effort to circumvent encrypted communications, which are invisible to third parties, began at least as early as 2015.

In July 2017, former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull introduced legislation to address encrypted communications, stating that the internet should not be used as a “dark place for wicked individuals to hide their illicit actions from the government.”