The Card is Baaaaack!

No matter what we do, every time we have an election we end up electing politicians. The Rudd Government was elected on an unequivocal platform of stopping the previous Access Card scheme and NOT using similar programmes.

The Access Card No Way Campaign [1] is very concerned by reports that Labors razor gang is looking at an Access Card to 'reduce costs'[2] [3].

The then Opposition Human Services spokesperson was very clear -

Ms Plibersek said Labor considered smartcard technology to offer useful applications, "but we have no plans to look at any similar projects".

Labor declared its opposition to the Access Card back in March, with Ms Plibersek describing it as "simply a national ID card in disguise".

"It is an ill-conceived, poorly executed project that will cost a great deal more than the Government imagines or is prepared to admit," she said.

Ms Plibersek predicted the card would be an election issue.

"It will be on the radar, as people realise every single Australian will have to attend an interview, be photographed and provide original documents they will have to apply for and pay for," she said.

"With the potential for the information they provide to be lost, stolen or misused, I think they'll be very anxious." [4]

The press is full of stories of identity theft, loss of privacy, stalking, domestic violence after abusive spouses track their former partner. The individuals right to a clear personal space - and for the strongest sanctions and limits on those who use personal data are at the heart of legitimacy in the digital era.

The fact that it is convenient for the State to over collect data and to link that data is no excuse for them to do so. To also ask the individual to participate in their being electronically branded is the height of arrogance - an arrogance that seems to belong to all those sitting ion the Government benches.


Access Card - No Way !

[1] Access Card No Way Campaign was founded in June 2006 and is Australia's leading voice for protesting the Access Card from a classical liberal philosophy.

[2] ZDNet Australia - Labor promise 'We won't bring in new Access Card' -Marcus Brown 13 Mar 08

[3] The Australian - 'Smartcard could be revived', March 13 2008-

[4] The Australian IT - Labor to Dump Access Card, Karen Dearne and Ben Woodhead | October 16, 2007