[LINK] Smartcard on hold till next year

[Bernard Robertson-Dunn]

<brd>
What a surprise!
</brd>

Smartcard on hold till next year
Patricia Karvelas
August 24, 2007
Australian IT
http://www.australianit.news.com.au/story/0,24897,22297566-15306,00.html

PLANS for a national smartcard have been postponed for at least a year 
with the Government admitting the deadline for its introduction was 
unrealistic.

The proposal for one-card access to welfare payments has been dogged by 
controversy since it was raised in 2003, with opponents claiming it is 
an underhand method of introducing a national identification system.

Despite government hopes of introducing a bill this year, Human Services 
Minister Chris Ellison yesterday said public support was essential if 
the $1.1billion scheme was to succeed, and there was no way he would put 
forward legislation before 2008.

He said the Government had been far too ambitious in trying to deliver 
it quickly. "I think the timeline we set was an ambitious one -- to do 
in four years what other countries do in more than six," he said.

The announcement follows the release of an "exposure draft" of the 
legislation, which prompted submissions that have yet to be considered.

"We won't be able to have legislation for the next session because we've 
had 40-odd submissions to the exposure draft, and we've still got talks 
ongoing with the states and territories," Senator Ellison said.

The card is intended to replace those required to access Medicare and a 
range of benefits such as unemployment and childcare payments.

Senator Ellison said that the card did not have to be carried as a 
prerequisite for service, but he would not back down on it displaying an 
identification number, photograph and signature -- issues at the heart 
of privacy concerns.

"I think smartcard technology is coming to Australia no matter what 
happens at the next election," he said.

He said a campaign would be launched to encourage people to sign up for 
the card, with field officers visiting elderly people and those in 
isolated regions.

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Regards
brd

Bernard Robertson-Dunn
Sydney Australia
brd at iimetro.com.au