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DEMOCRATS MEDIA FRIDAY 28 APRIL 2006

SENATOR NATASHA STOTT DESPOJA AUSTRALIAN DEMOCRATS ATTORNEY-GENERAL’S AND PRIVACY SPOKESPERSON

ID CARD: A MATTER OF TIME?

The Australian Democrats have called for answers from the Government after a report in The Australian today that information on the proposed smartcard will be accessible by intelligence agencies and police.

"It is deeply disturbing that this card is proposed as a health and welfare services card but now it is suggested that the information on the card may be used for security purposes," said Democrats' Attorney-General's and Privacy Spokesperson Senator Natasha Stott Despoja.

"We are already seeing signs of possible function creep and the proposal has only just been announced. Is it only a matter of time before this becomes a national ID card?

"Considering the inadequacy of legislative privacy protection for Australians, the Government's proposal is unnerving to say the least.

"We need answers from the Government on the full extent of the uses for this card and the safeguards they plans to introduce to ensure sensitive information is protected against disclosure and misuse," Senator Stott Despoja said.

Media contact: Raina Hunter - 0417 085 260