Learn from the mistakes of others

ID Card - ALP says Minister must answer growing list of smartcard concerns

The Federal Opposition said Commonwealth Minister for Human Services, Joe Hockey, has to address the growing list of fears and concerns held by industry experts and public advocates about Smartcard cost blowouts and privacy.

In a statement issued 17/05/2006, Federal Shadow Minister for Human Services, Kelvin Thomson, said: “It seems that with every day that passes, another industry expert raises serious concerns about the Smartcard project, and every day that passes the Government continues to ignore them. Minister Hockey must realise that charging ahead without public consultation and without listening to the experts is a recipe for disaster".

Mr Thomson claimed the former head of the Smartcard Technology Taskforce, James Kelaher, resigned because he did not want to be part of the "smartcard disaster". Mr Thomson said news that Assistant Secretary and Smartcard Project Leader, Suzanne Roche had resigned, is further evidence that the Smartcard project is in "disarray."

According to Mr Thomson, Siemens Vice President, Martin Praetorius, with more than 20 years experience working with Smartcard technology, told an e-Government forum last week that the $1.1 billion budget could be easily tripled because the "complexity of the project is greatly underestimated”.

British e-Government expert William Heath told the same forum that a single identifier card could actually increase rather than decrease the instance of fraud as: “It is an extremely courageous step to put all your identification, all the different departments, on to one identifier.”

Mr Thomson said that fraudster, Frank Abagnale, the real life criminal behind Catch Me if You Can, told BBC radio that the UK ID card would be replicated within six months.

“Minster Hockey must start responding to these serious public and industry concerns this week," Mr Thomson concluded. "The public cannot afford more major project budget blowouts, nor can we afford to have our privacy compromised".

18 May, 2006

ID Card - ALP says Minister must answer growing list of smartcard concerns

The Federal Opposition said Commonwealth Minister for Human Services, Joe Hockey, has to address the growing list of fears and concerns held by industry experts and public advocates about Smartcard cost blowouts and privacy.

In a statement issued 17/05/2006, Federal Shadow Minister for Human Services, Kelvin Thomson, said: “It seems that with every day that passes, another industry expert raises serious concerns about the Smartcard project, and every day that passes the Government continues to ignore them. Minister Hockey must realise that charging ahead without public consultation and without listening to the experts is a recipe for disaster".

Mr Thomson claimed the former head of the Smartcard Technology Taskforce, James Kelaher, resigned because he did not want to be part of the "smartcard disaster". Mr Thomson said news that Assistant Secretary and Smartcard Project Leader, Suzanne Roche had resigned, is further evidence that the Smartcard project is in "disarray."

According to Mr Thomson, Siemens Vice President, Martin Praetorius, with more than 20 years experience working with Smartcard technology, told an e-Government forum last week that the $1.1 billion budget could be easily tripled because the "complexity of the project is greatly underestimated”.

British e-Government expert William Heath told the same forum that a single identifier card could actually increase rather than decrease the instance of fraud as: “It is an extremely courageous step to put all your identification, all the different departments, on to one identifier.”

Mr Thomson said that fraudster, Frank Abagnale, the real life criminal behind Catch Me if You Can, told BBC radio that the UK ID card would be replicated within six months.

“Minster Hockey must start responding to these serious public and industry concerns this week," Mr Thomson concluded. "The public cannot afford more major project budget blowouts, nor can we afford to have our privacy compromised".

18 May, 2006

Saturday, April 22, 2006
DOJ approves revised Georgia voter ID law
Alexis Unkovic at 11:12 AM ET

[JURIST] The US Department of Justice [official website] signed off on a new Georgia law [PDF text; bill summary] Friday that will require voters to present a valid photo ID when they vote in elections. Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue [official website] initially approved the bill in January after its passage [JURIST report] by the Georgia state legislature [official website], but under the federal Voting Rights Act [DOJ backgrounder], states with a past history of discrimination must have federal approval before making changes to their election laws.

Civil rights, religious and community groups asked the DOJ to block implementation of the law [JURIST report] last month, arguing that it disproportionately discriminates against the poor, elderly, and minorities, who may have trouble securing the proper identification. The revised version of the law offers free photo Ids to voters who need them, after a federal judge blocked [JURIST report] a previous version of the Georgia law last year.

AP has more.

Saturday, April 22, 2006
DOJ approves revised Georgia voter ID law
Alexis Unkovic at 11:12 AM ET

[JURIST] The US Department of Justice [official website] signed off on a new Georgia law [PDF text; bill summary] Friday that will require voters to present a valid photo ID when they vote in elections. Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue [official website] initially approved the bill in January after its passage [JURIST report] by the Georgia state legislature [official website], but under the federal Voting Rights Act [DOJ backgrounder], states with a past history of discrimination must have federal approval before making changes to their election laws.

Civil rights, religious and community groups asked the DOJ to block implementation of the law [JURIST report] last month, arguing that it disproportionately discriminates against the poor, elderly, and minorities, who may have trouble securing the proper identification. The revised version of the law offers free photo Ids to voters who need them, after a federal judge blocked [JURIST report] a previous version of the Georgia law last year.

AP has more.

ID card compromise reached in Parliament

Sylvia Carr
silicon.com
March 30, 2006, 17:30 BST

The Commons and the Lords have both passed an amended form of the government's ID cards bill

( Read more... )

silicon.com had this to say:

New ID cards agency set up after Queen approves bill
Critics of the scheme vow to fight on...

By Andy McCue

Friday 31 March 2006

( Read more... )

guess it won't be long before we're playing good little allies and following suit ...

ID card compromise reached in Parliament

Sylvia Carr
silicon.com
March 30, 2006, 17:30 BST

The Commons and the Lords have both passed an amended form of the government's ID cards bill

( Read more... )

silicon.com had this to say:

New ID cards agency set up after Queen approves bill
Critics of the scheme vow to fight on...

By Andy McCue

Friday 31 March 2006

( Read more... )

guess it won't be long before we're playing good little allies and following suit ...

Smart card would trump Australia Card
smh.com.au March 29, 2006

Smart card would trump Australia Card
smh.com.au March 29, 2006