[LINK] Access Card - Inquiry

[Roger Clarke]

At 11:38 +1100 10/2/07, Stewart Fist wrote:
>Has anyone done a critique of the Alan Fells committee proposals?
>I'd like to see it.
>When Fells has doubts, I think we should all be concerned.  But he is not
>terribly technically literate.

The following is written from the perspective of the Australian 
Privacy Foundation, by me in my role as Chair

-   the Fels 'Task Force' was created as a shield to protect the
     Minister and the Department from having to actually engage with
     representative and advocacy organisations and the public
-   its 'independence' is largely nominal
-   the text of the original report was alright
-   but the recommendations were hopelessly weak, and a long way
     removed from what's needed.
-   the Minister abused the Task Force by picking and choosing
     among its Recommendations
-   unlike the previous Task Force officials, Fels and Chris Puplick
     failed to resign, and thereby became part of the problem
-   the Task Force needs to be ignored as far as practicable, and the
     Minister and DHS forced to engage

ABC Canberra 666 had a segment with myself and Fels in conversation a 
couple of days ago.  I didn't manage to get quite all of the above 
played into it;  but neither Fels nor DHS have any excuse to be in 
doubt about our views on the matter.


The APF's Campaign Page is at:
http://www.privacy.org.au/Campaigns/ID_cards/HSAC.html

Substantial FAQs (far more informative than the Govt) at:
http://www.privacy.org.au/Campaigns/ID_cards/HSAC.html#FAQs

APF Submissions and Policy Papers on the topic at:
http://www.privacy.org.au/Campaigns/ID_cards/HSAC.html#APFPolicy


-- 
Roger Clarke                  http://www.anu.edu.au/people/Roger.Clarke/

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Visiting Professor in Info Science & Eng  Australian National University
Visiting Professor in the eCommerce Program      University of Hong Kong
Visiting Professor in the Cyberspace Law & Policy Centre      Uni of NSW