National identity database battle looms

As we prepare for the rollout of a national identity database there are fears over privacy and security.

PHOTOS of Tasmanians are already being uploaded to a “secure” system in preparation for the rollout of a national identity database.

It has prompted an expert on bio-ethics to warn of privacy dangers, amid news of the facial recognition legislation hitting a roadblock in Canberra.

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University of Tasmania academic Frederic Gilbert said he was surprised to hear some states had started providing data when the laws had not yet been passed by federal parliament.

“There is always a risk it can be accessed by people that shouldn’t access it,’’ he said.

Dr Gilbert said the aim of the legislation — to crack down on identity fraud — had to be balanced with the issue of privacy and protecting the rights of citizens.

He agreed with other critics of the laws that it could lead to a mass surveillance scheme.

A State Government spokesman said changes were made to Tasmanian regulations in 2017 to permit disclosure of Tasmanian drivers licence information as part of the face-matching service.

Photos from Tasmanian drivers’ licences have been sent to Canberra for a national identity database.

“Tasmania commenced the upload of drivers licence data into the FMS earlier this year into a segregated and protected area,’’ the spokesman said.

“Victoria has also uploaded its drivers licence data into the FMS and all state and territory governments have committed to this process.

“Tasmania has uploaded our drivers licence information to the secure system in preparation for the full nationwide rollout. Until the system is operational this data will not be available for face-matching services.”

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The spokesman said licence application forms contained a notice that the image data will be added to the FMS but images would not be released unless required for regulatory and law enforcement reasons.

Last week, Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton vowed to press on with the facial recognition laws, despite a bipartisan committee telling him to go back to the drawing board.

Under the plan, driver’s licence, passport and visa images would be stored by the Department of Home Affairs.

Parliament’s intelligence and security committee blocked the legislation, telling the Government to redraft the legislation and put stronger safeguards in place.

Liberal chair of the committee Andrew Hastie said more explanation was needed on how the laws would protect the rights of Australians.

Electronic Frontiers Australia spokesman Angus Murray welcomed the decision by the parliamentary committee to reject the legislation.

“The decision by the PJCIS sends Government a clear message that Australians’ fundamental rights, including the right to privacy, ought to be projected and this message should be taken seriously,’’ he said.

The proposed identity matching services laws were agreed in a meeting of state and territory leaders in 2017.

The federal government first introduced legislation in February last year, but it was reintroduced in July after lapsing at the election.