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Delay a good start - now drop the Card
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Access Card No Way Convener honoured
Contact and Lobby MPs NOW!
Geoffrey Blainey on May 23 - a lesson to be learnt
Tuesday, June 16 2009
The Card is Baaaaack!
Monday, March 17 2008
Access Card - 2006 version - is GONE !
Tuesday, November 27 2007
Labor sees the Light on the Hill
Saturday, October 20 2007
Access Card - Going,Going......... but not quite gone.
Wednesday, June 6 2007
Delay a good start - now drop the Card
Tuesday, June 5 2007
Democrats unearth untruth on Access Card website
Monday, June 4 2007
Access Card No Way Convener honoured
Sunday, June 3 2007
Contact and Lobby MPs NOW!
Tuesday, May 29 2007
Geoffrey Blainey on May 23 - a lesson to be learnt
Friday, May 25 2007
Friday, March 16. 2007
Access Card Bill - hit for six by Senate Report
The Senate Standing Committee on Finance and Public Administration has released its' report on the 'Human Services (enhanced service delivery) Bill 2007' - aka The Access Card Bill. In a committee dominated by Coalition members what was the result..... a denunciation of the swiz being pulled by the Human Services Department.
The Senate Majority Report does state that this Bill should be withdrawn until the Senate can see the 'second tranche' of legislation; otherwise it cannot determine what it is actually voting on. The Majority position does state that having no provision for oversight of decisions or the control of the Register is not good enough [1].
The Majority Report does state that the Bill has signs of poor and hasty drafting, and that the timetable given the Committee and the Senate does not allow for certainty that all errors will be caught [2].
The Majority Report does state that removing the photograph from the Card face would be worth the likely cost increase, as it would stymie the effective use of what is a health and social services card as a means of National Identification [3]
The Majority Report does ask that consideration be given to having ONLY the Cardholders name on the surface of the Card, all other items being a matter of personal preference [4].
The Majority Report does NOT deny that the scheme has merit, nor that a consolidated Bill with all the features promised by the Department would be a good piece of legislation – if the oversight, approved procedures and far better defined rights and restrictions re access to data were included.
The Access Card - No Way Campaign is relieved that this Inquiry has resulted in a very fair and impartial Report. It is impartial because we are still unsatisfied and the Government is livid
We salute the three Liberals who did stand aside from the Party constraints and applied liberal principles in their best and most rational incarnation. These three should be named and feted - the Committee Chair Sen. Brett Mason (Qld), Sen. Mitch Fifield (Vic) and Sen. John Watson (Tas).
Similarly the Democrats Senator Natasha Stott-Despoja (SA) and Greens Senator Kerry Nettles (NSW) have been unswerving in resisting the proposal from April last year. The two ALP Human Services Spokespersons Mr Thompson and Tanya Plibersek have guided the ALP to a reasoned rejection of the current Bill.
This is of course an intermission. The Humans Services Minister Senator Chris Ellison has already announced that this is not the end but a new beginning. That the new combined Bill will be brought before Parliament as soon as the hasty drafters can speed through their work.
The Senate Majority Report sets a very high bar for any new mega-Bill, if it fails to deliver it will be very messy for the Government, only two to three months from election day.
The Campaign is already planning for May-June as we work up to the vote on the new mega-Bill. We had prepared for a tussle in late March, it ended up being a great preparation.
We will be ready. You should pass the word, we can defeat this - the clear light of day and an informed public is what will stop the Access Card. That means you need to tell your friends and family about the Senate Report.
The name says it all - Access Card - No Way
The Senate Majority Report does state that this Bill should be withdrawn until the Senate can see the 'second tranche' of legislation; otherwise it cannot determine what it is actually voting on. The Majority position does state that having no provision for oversight of decisions or the control of the Register is not good enough [1].
The Majority Report does state that the Bill has signs of poor and hasty drafting, and that the timetable given the Committee and the Senate does not allow for certainty that all errors will be caught [2].
The Majority Report does state that removing the photograph from the Card face would be worth the likely cost increase, as it would stymie the effective use of what is a health and social services card as a means of National Identification [3]
The Majority Report does ask that consideration be given to having ONLY the Cardholders name on the surface of the Card, all other items being a matter of personal preference [4].
The Majority Report does NOT deny that the scheme has merit, nor that a consolidated Bill with all the features promised by the Department would be a good piece of legislation – if the oversight, approved procedures and far better defined rights and restrictions re access to data were included.
The Access Card - No Way Campaign is relieved that this Inquiry has resulted in a very fair and impartial Report. It is impartial because we are still unsatisfied and the Government is livid
We salute the three Liberals who did stand aside from the Party constraints and applied liberal principles in their best and most rational incarnation. These three should be named and feted - the Committee Chair Sen. Brett Mason (Qld), Sen. Mitch Fifield (Vic) and Sen. John Watson (Tas).
Similarly the Democrats Senator Natasha Stott-Despoja (SA) and Greens Senator Kerry Nettles (NSW) have been unswerving in resisting the proposal from April last year. The two ALP Human Services Spokespersons Mr Thompson and Tanya Plibersek have guided the ALP to a reasoned rejection of the current Bill.
This is of course an intermission. The Humans Services Minister Senator Chris Ellison has already announced that this is not the end but a new beginning. That the new combined Bill will be brought before Parliament as soon as the hasty drafters can speed through their work.
The Senate Majority Report sets a very high bar for any new mega-Bill, if it fails to deliver it will be very messy for the Government, only two to three months from election day.
The Campaign is already planning for May-June as we work up to the vote on the new mega-Bill. We had prepared for a tussle in late March, it ended up being a great preparation.
We will be ready. You should pass the word, we can defeat this - the clear light of day and an informed public is what will stop the Access Card. That means you need to tell your friends and family about the Senate Report.
The name says it all - Access Card - No Way
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Tim,
I've finally worked the settings my end and now I can make my thoughts known.
The Federal Government has been very successful in side-lining this major policy issue.
I appreciate your effort in keeping us up-to-date and the report from the Finance and Public Administration Committee is a interesting document considering the lack of time available to the committee to get across all aspects of the government's legislation.
I did oppose the Australia Card and had a keen interest in the parliamentary debate. The Australian Democrats have continued their excellent work and their latest position is appreciated by myself.
I note that the Democrats have a petition in place re the Access Card and it will also be interesting to see how many respond online and sign it.
There are many concerns that I have over the legislation and now we have to wait for the government to package both bills into one.
I note from a radio interview between John Laws and the new Minister for Human Services - last week, where the legislation will be presented sometime in June. I wonder if the government will be sneaky and tie into a Budget bill? If this was to be the case, then I could see the opposition mounting.
Senators Joyce and Boswell have some concerns about the need for a Access Card but their positions will become clearer when debating the legislation.
Having followed the FPA's inquiry with great interest, Senator Mason (Qld) did an excellent job and now he could be the next Minister for Ageing.
The position of the Department of Veterans Affairs needs to be examined and their responses re the replacing of various repatriation health cards need further challenging and clarification.
I wonder if there's widespread support within the veteran's community for a new card? Then I must also query the positions of a number of ex-service organisations.
What meanings do we give to the following;
1. Access Card,
2. Smartcard,
3. National I.D Card.
Whilst there's a great deal of information that I want; what benefits will come from having a card?
More comment to come.
I've finally worked the settings my end and now I can make my thoughts known.
The Federal Government has been very successful in side-lining this major policy issue.
I appreciate your effort in keeping us up-to-date and the report from the Finance and Public Administration Committee is a interesting document considering the lack of time available to the committee to get across all aspects of the government's legislation.
I did oppose the Australia Card and had a keen interest in the parliamentary debate. The Australian Democrats have continued their excellent work and their latest position is appreciated by myself.
I note that the Democrats have a petition in place re the Access Card and it will also be interesting to see how many respond online and sign it.
There are many concerns that I have over the legislation and now we have to wait for the government to package both bills into one.
I note from a radio interview between John Laws and the new Minister for Human Services - last week, where the legislation will be presented sometime in June. I wonder if the government will be sneaky and tie into a Budget bill? If this was to be the case, then I could see the opposition mounting.
Senators Joyce and Boswell have some concerns about the need for a Access Card but their positions will become clearer when debating the legislation.
Having followed the FPA's inquiry with great interest, Senator Mason (Qld) did an excellent job and now he could be the next Minister for Ageing.
The position of the Department of Veterans Affairs needs to be examined and their responses re the replacing of various repatriation health cards need further challenging and clarification.
I wonder if there's widespread support within the veteran's community for a new card? Then I must also query the positions of a number of ex-service organisations.
What meanings do we give to the following;
1. Access Card,
2. Smartcard,
3. National I.D Card.
Whilst there's a great deal of information that I want; what benefits will come from having a card?
More comment to come.
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