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Smart idea planned for ID card | The Daily Telegraph

This is a slightly confusing approach to the Smart Identification Card, but I think it only for accessing health/social welfare resources.

IN a world first, Australians could personally own a microchipped card which gives them access to services - with the Government losing all rights to the card and its contents once it is issued.
The card will be owned by the citizen. The government departments cannot require it to be presented.

would be swiped whenever the holder used a Government service, such as claiming a Medicare rebate or attending a CentreLink office (I presume similar to Dept. Of Social Welfare & FÃ?S offices)

objective is greater efficiency and a reduction to the vast number of paper files which CentreLink has had to store

- I can appreciate the requirement to cut down on paper files.

Printed on the card will be the holder’s digital photograph and name, but not an address or date of birth.

- Interesting approach!

That could be in the microchip along with health details, such as allergies and organ donor requests, and emergency contact numbers.

- what not keep this information with the individual, or on the passport (name, address, etc)

Fels task force has proposed a departure from this by giving the individual the ownership of the Access Card so that authorities will not be entitled to demand it be produced.

- what would be the legal ramifications to that?

The task force also proposed that any information on the card remain with its department of origin - such as Veterans’ Affairs or Medicare - rather than be amalgamated into a giant data base.

- this is also interesting. A move which would protect the privacy of the individual.

The card will be designed to prevent identity theft. This will be done by a microchip, rather than a magnetic strip, a shift in technology which Europe has long adopted.

- now the sales/marketing speak comes.