[LINK] Govt urged to release smart card report

[Kim Holburn]

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200611/s1785230.htm

> Govt urged to release smart card report
>
> The Federal Opposition has urged the Government to release an  
> independent assessment of the impact its proposed smart cards would  
> have on the privacy of Australians.
>
> At a forum in Sydney last night, the Opposition spokesman for human  
> services, Kelvin Thomson, said the Government still had not  
> addressed serious flaws in the card's security.
>
> Mr Thomson says the decision to print identity numbers on  
> microchipped cards ignores the advice of a privacy task force and  
> increases the risk of fraud and identity theft.
>
> "The Government has done nowhere near enough to address those key  
> issues of security of data, quality of data, privacy of data or  
> provide confidence that information stored will not be used across  
> government agencies or departments," he said.
>
> "And with smart card there are still many answers missing and  
> information being withheld."
>
> He says the public deserves to see the privacy assessment in full  
> before the cards are introduced.
>
> "The risks from public servants mishandling information, from  
> identity thieves are real risks," he said.
>
> "Until these issues are resolved and seen to be resolved, the  
> Government cannot expect either the Opposition or Australians to be  
> other than suspicious or sceptical about how the smart card would  
> work in practice."

--
Kim Holburn
IT Network & Security Consultant
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