Turnoff Thetelly
Howard is pushing ahead with plans for an ID card as the public is distracted by the election campaign, and doubtless if he wins government again, he will tell us that he has a mandate to force the ID card onto every Australian because his government has been working on its introduction for the past several years – but has it been or will it be mentioned during the election campaign? Of course it hasn’t and it won’t be debated as part of policy!

The period for public comment on the relevant draft Bills closes on Tuesday, 21 August 2007

Link: http://www.accesscard.gov.au/legislation.html

The name of the Bill covering the ID card does not even refer to the card!

The name used is the “Enhanced Services Delivery” Bill!

The level of lies told and manipulation of citizens by Australian politicians is shocking and almost beyond belief.

Consider – an ID card proposal, impacting on every Australian, is being brought before parliament and it is not even identified in the name of the Bill – does that set alarm bells ringing for you?

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From Australian IT:

“Big spend on project in limbo

Ben Woodhead | July 17, 2007

UNCERTAINTY over the future of the federal Government’s $1.1 billion welfare smartcard has done little to slow spending on the project.

The Department of Human Services has awarded eight new access card contracts in the past month.

The pace of contract signings is in stark contrast to a decision by the federal Government last month to put legislation governing the controversial smartcard in limbo.

The Government has since issued a draft exposure of the proposed smartcard bill, but it has not committed to a release date for the final legislation and is not expected to do so until after the federal election.”

http://www.australianit.news.com.au/story/0,24897,22084032-5013040,00.html

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From the website of The Australian Privacy Foundation, which is campaigning against the card:

“Overview
The ‘Access Card’ proposal, as announced by the Australian Government in April 2006, is to introduce a new card to replace a number of existing cards, including the Medicare card and various benefit cards issued by Centrelink and the Department of Veterans’ Affairs. Those agencies currently run separate programs. This proposal would break down the vital privacy protections that are inherent in separate schemes.

The Government proposes to use a ‘smart card’, meaning there would be a computer chip inside the card, and special card-readers would need to be installed by any person or organisation wanting to read the information from the chip. In addition, some information would be clearly visible on the face and back of the card.

But the crux of the proposal is the creation of a unique identification number for every Australian, combined with the imposition of a new concept called a person’s ‘official name’ or ‘legal name’.

And not only would personal data be held on the card and be accessible at readers throughout the country, but that and even more information would also be held on a national population database to be created by the Department of Human Services.

There is to be a “rigorous” (i.e. intrusive and onerous) registration process, requiring every adult in Australia to prove who they are to a government authority.

This is a proposal to establish a National Identification Scheme.

The APF opposes it, and urges all Australians to oppose it.”

http://www.privacy.org.au/Campaigns/ID_cards/HSAC-Media-07.html