Critical Times

Despite the rejection of its proposed legislation by a Senate committee, the Howard government is determined to have the so-called “Access Card” up and running by 2008. It opens the door for a further erosion of privacy and civil liberties by the agents of state power.

Ostensibly, the “Access Card” will replace 17 other cards currently in use for people to have access to federal government services. In fact, most people only carry a Medicare card, and some may have one or two others, but no more. The argument for simplification of cards is hardly valid, and nor is the line that the system is being ripped off by fraudsters with fake cards.

ID card
Although the legislation (for the time being) forbids the card being used for identification purposes, this is promoted as the main reason for its introduction and is subtly linked with buzz-words like “security” and “terrorism”. In any case, a person has to produce 100 points of ID data just to qualify for one.

There is also no requirement to carry the card at all times, but this too can be repealed or modified over time.

As for public scrutiny, KPMG produced a report into the proposed card, but this was never released in full. Public submissions on the legislation were taken over the Christmas period, a time calculated to minimise serious public debate and involvement.

Personal details
It has emerged that only 40 percent of the card’s capacity is taken by federal government services and that several state governments are also interested in putting their data onto the card – items such as driver’s licence details, transport concessions, etc. Apparently you will be able to add your own personal information which (allegedly) only you can access!

Other items which may eventually end up on this card are banking and insurance details, credit rating, health records, police record, phone and email accounts, etc.

This could happen even without a person’s knowledge or permission, given the legal swapping and trading of database information between government and commercial enterprises, let alone outright bribery and criminal activities.

Big brother
It has also been revealed that ASIO and the Federal Police will be able to access any of this information under existing laws and regulations without the nuisance of obtaining a warrant. They are especially interested in the “biometric” photographs which can used with face recognition software to identify people caught on closed circuit TV cameras – people at rallies, demonstrations and picket lines, for instance.

The “Access Card” is the thin edge of the wedge, the stealthy introduction of a national identity card to monitor and intimidate people. The Australian people will respond to this form of creeping fascism with the same anger and contempt that buried Labor’s previous “Australia Card” fiasco.