Smartcard framework unveiled as ID card flounders

THE Commonwealth’s peak ICT standards-setting body, the Australian Government Information Management Office (AGIMO) has released the final two components in its long-awaited Smartcard framework.

Special Minister of State Gary Nairn, who oversees AGIMO and Federal eGovernment initiatives said the “Standards and Model Specifications” and “Implementation Guide” for the Australian Government Smartcard Framework were now available for public comment.

The documents tackle the issue of how to ensure that government smartcard implementations are, where appropriate, interoperable and they provide guidance to agencies looking to take advantage of smartcard technology.

“The Smartcard Framework is a key part of the e-Government Strategy and is part of our blueprint for connected government. I encourage all interested parties to review the documents and provide (AGIMO) with comments,” Mr Nairn said.

The documents and further information on the consultation process, including the due date for comments, are available through AGIMO.

Mr Nairn said The federal government was working closely with the States to ensure systems were interoperable between jurisdictions where it was appropriate, and to avoid future problems of incompatible systems.

Mr Nairn also “reaffirmed” the Federal Government’s commitment to its own e-Government strategy – Responsive Government: A New Service Agenda – which was announced a year ago.

The strategy outlined plans through to 2010 and beyond of the new ways in which Government will interact with citizens.

Speaking last week at the Australian Government Solicitor’s Forum on changes and developments in Commonwealth media and communications law, Mr Nairn said the advent of new technologies is driving the evolution of e Government and he called for a whole of government approach to tackling new challenges to service delivery.

“These challenges must be dealt with through cooperation and sharing, based on the e Government Strategy that aims to realise the potential of e Government,” Mr Nairn said.

While AGIMO has had limited success in guiding standards among federal departments, it is difficult to discern real progress toward the Responsive Government ideals, with a series of large projects underway in Immigration, Tax, Centrelink and Human Services that are taking an autonomous road to meet their own needs.

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Politics intervenes in US ID card debate

A US federal government plans to introduce smartcard-based driver’s licenses with biometric photographs has been questioned by Senators and civil libertarians as too expensive and invasive of people’s privacy.

Debate has begun over the Real ID Act in the US, which would require states to save digital copies of source documents like birth certificates and registrations, and to share information on their driver’s license database with other states and the federal government.

The broad plans are similar to Australia’s Access Card – although the non-compulsory smartcard in the US, although a driver’s license, is being called an ID.

The Real ID Act was passed by Congress after the 9/11 attacks to beef up identity in the US. Like the Access Card, the Real ID Act envisages a biometric photo on the face of the card, with machine readable personal information stored on the card’s chip.

But like Australia, the card proposal faces considerable opposition, and a lengthy debate on how best to introduce it – or whether it should be introduced at all – is almost certain.

The Real ID card project is being overseen by the Department of Homeland Security. DHS estimates its cost of introduction over 10 years at US$14.6 billion (A$18 billion).

The debate in the US has started to mirror debate that has just started in earnest in Australia. Senators in the US have complained that the card will cost too much for not much security.

They have also questioned the security of the on-chip information, saying there is technology available to crack whatever security measures might be put in place.

Like their counterparts in Australia, US civil libertarians and privacy advocates have complained that the machine-readable zone on each license will potentially provide a computer trail of where it goes.

They also say that far from being a simple driver’s licence, it will become a de facto ID standard, making it impossible to function in a variety of areas – getting on a plane, getting a job – without producing the card.

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Under 18s can have ID Card too

HUMAN Services Minister Ian Campbell has moved to allay concerns that the stricter ID requirements of the planned government Access Card would make it harder for under-18s to access health care.

Just as the Senate inquiry on the access card’s enabling legislation gets under way, Senator Campbell said young people would have the same access to Government health services under the new smartcard as they do under the current Medicare system.

The new health and welfare access card will combine 17 different government identity cards – including the Medicare card and Centrelink healthcare card – onto a single smartcard.

Social service advocacy groups had been concerned that the card would leave under 18s who had special needs without access to government health services.

“I want to ensure that it is clearly understood that the introduction of the smartcard does not change anyone’s eligibility to receive Australian Government health and social services,” Senator Campbell said.

“This includes anyone under the age of 18 who wants their own card, regardless of whether or not they have a card now,” he said.

“Currently young people who need to have a separate Medicare card can have one. For example a student at boarding school or a young person living with a grandparent will be able to get a card and will not have to ask for their parents’ permission.”

Senator Campbell said anyone over the age of 15 years will be issued with their own access card if they apply.

People under the age of 15 who are eligible for Medicare can also have their own card, either with their parents permission, or in special needs cases such as the person is homeless, a ward of the state or in foster care.

Meanwhile, Government has handed a 100 page submission to the Senate Inquiry on the ‘Human Services (Enhanced Service Delivery) Bill 2007’ – the enabling legislation that will bring the card to life.

The submission outlines in detail why the Government wants to introduce the card, how it will work and the penalties for misusing the card.

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