Some big names in Australian tech have called for urgent changes to controversial anti-encryption laws.

The Telecommunications Assistance and Access laws - passed last year - are meant to enable authorities to monitor encrypted communications from apps such as WhatsApp and Telegram.

But the laws have been criticised for not specifying which kinds of businesses will be required to decrypt their data under law enforcement demands.

Critics say the laws unfairly force individual employees to spy on their companies, weaken overall online security, lack judicial oversight or transparency, and reduce commercial opportunities overseas.

Tech leaders say the laws are already causing firms to lose international customers, and could choke progress of the local tech industry.

Leading local firms have co-signed a submission to the Federal Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security (PJCIS) suggesting a range of changes.

“Not a single technology company on the list of people we are talking to now has been consulted. We view this legislation as a choke hold on the Australian tech industry, because of the implications,” Atlassian co-founder Scott Farquhar told Fairfax reporters.

“Within the first week of this coming out we had people cancelling their accounts, and they told us it was because of the laws. I also have a good friend that runs an energy company, and they had a very large deal with a foreign government, who pulled out as a result of this bill.”

Home affairs Minister Peter Dutton is resisting the push for change.

“The Commissioner of the Australian Federal Police and the Director General of ASIO have made clear that these laws are essential to keep Australians safe … These new laws have already assisted agencies in the detection and investigation of several major crimes,” Mr Dutton said.

“The Morrison government’s number-one priority is the safety of Australians. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for Labor under Bill Shorten, who are doing the bidding of multinational tech companies such as Google by pursuing amendments to weaken the legislation.

“Home Affairs has tasked PJCIS with reviewing the implementation of this legislation, and the government will consider the committee’s findings when they are tabled. Significant changes to the legislation are not anticipated.”

Australian Industry Group CEO Innes Willox is concerned that the powers will extend outside what the government intends.

“Manufacturing and many other industries increasingly depend on smart connected devices. Strong cyber security is central to customer trust, competitiveness, the strength of our economy and the reliability of our infrastructure,” Mr Willox said.

“For nearly everyone who may be affected the legislation remains unfamiliar and its implications poorly understood.”