Malcolm Turnbull may be famed for his love of technology, which has even extended to checking his Apple Watch in the chamber of the House of Representatives.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
But the Prime Minister is obliged to take it off before cabinet meetings, a government spokesman has confirmed, adhering to a long-standing policy that no communication devices may be taken into the sensitive room.
There are rising concern about the threat of device hacking by foreign intelligence agencies or political "hacktivists", with British government ministers reportedly issued an edict not to wear Apple Watches to cabinet meetings because of fears they could be penetrated by Russian spies.
"It has long been standard practice, on both sides of politics, that no electronic transmitting devices, including Apple Watches, be allowed in the cabinet room," a spokesman for Cabinet Secretary Arthur Sinodinos said.
Alastair MacGibbon, Mr Turnbull's special adviser on cyber security, told Fairfax Media more personal devices would be connected to the internet in future – from glasses to running shoes – which meant greater attention would have to be paid to communications security.
"In a world in which it is necessary for government to have conversations that truly have no electronics in the room, there are going to be more and more items that will have to be locked away in cabinets," he said.
Visitors to agencies such as ASIO or the Australian Signals Directorate – the Defence Department's cyber spies – are asked to store any electronic devices in lockers in the foyer out of fear they could be used as listening devices or to insert viruses into the buildings' systems.
Britain's Telegraph newspaper reported at the weekend that while several UK ministers wore smart watches under David Cameron's leadership, including former justice secretary Michael Gove, a ban had now been placed on such devices.
The paper reported that Mr Gove had disrupted one cabinet meeting when he was chief whip by accidentally playing a Beyonce song while surreptitiously checking his emails.
A source told the paper: "The Russians are trying to hack everything."
