"I think the Government should be required to withdraw its submission and correct the document," Professor Greenleaf has told the inquiry. "It should be required to explain to the committee why it has provided such misleading information about the Bill."
Prof Greenleaf, who is professor of law at the University of NSW and co-director of its Cyberspace Law and Policy Centre, said the Government's submission was "economical with the truth".
"The current Bill, and the proposals as we currently understand them, should be rejected," he said. "Despite the Government's often-stated intention that they will not create a national identification system, there is an overwhelming likelihood that they will."
Professor Greenleaf has listed online seven "misleading" inconsistencies between the details of the legislation, statements contained in the submission and taskforce recommendations.
"The Parliament should only support an identification system limited solely to the minimum necessary for the use of smartcard technology for the administration of benefits and reduction of fraud," he said.
"The legislation should contain sufficient safeguards to ensure that it is not used for other purposes. This Bill does the opposite, and facilitates an unknown number of other potential uses."
In Melbourne yesterday, Access Card No Way co-ordinator Tim Warner told the inquiry the Government's submission "created straw man arguments" and "skated over the very thin ice" of real problems.
"The proposal is a ridiculous imposition to solve administrative failings of the Human Services department and Medicare Australia," he said.
"If fraud is suspected, we recommend that efforts be made to find those defrauding the system, without calling in 16 million 'suspects' for a 15-minute interview."
Mr Warner said the Bill would allow the de facto denial of citizenship to any person without an Access Card.
Opposition continues to spread across the community, with the Festival of Light and the Humanist Society of Victoria among those lodging submissions to the Senate inquiry.
"Given that all taxpayers fund the Medicare system, it is disingenuous of the Government to suggest the Access Card is not compulsory," the FoL says. "It is only 'not compulsory' to someone who is willing to forego entirely a service for which they are taxed."
The FoL said it was not clear what percentage of fraud was due to the use of false identities, compared to claims under a correct identity to benefits to which a person was not entitled. "An Access card could only help reduce the latter if it is linked to tax, employment and banking information."
Autor(en)/Author(s): Karen Dearne
Quelle/Source: Australian IT, 06.03.2007
