Backlash over sharing of ID photos

A STATE Government decision to send the photos of Tasmanians to a not-yetoperational national database still subject to federal scrutiny has been slammed as an invasion of privacy.

Critics have questioned why the decision – which was regulated in 2017 – did not face examination in Tasmania’s parliament or be subject to public consultation.

The Federal Government is trying to enact legislation to crack down on identity fraud. Tasmanian director of Civil Liberties Australia, Richard Griggs, wrote to Infrastructure and Transport Minister Michael Ferguson yesterday with a number of questions.

Among them were how many photographs had been shared, what information had been transferred and what measures were in place to guard the database against hackers.

“I think it should have been subject to better public information and scrutiny from parliament,’’ he said.

Tasmanian Law Reform Institute director Therese Henning described the change as a “big invasion of privacy” and said more should have been done to make people aware.

“And people should be given the opportunity to consent or dissent,’’ she said.

Greens senator Nick McKim said the change “failed the pub test” and called for the Government to recall the data.

“This is surveillance state stuff,” he said.

A State Government spokesman said the Registrar of Motor Vehicles is legally required to collect and store photographs and other identifying information and this was protected by the regulations, which were amended in December 2017.

“The changes to the regulations followed the national agreement at COAG in October 2017 for the new national bio-facial fraud prevention initiative,’’ the spokesman said.

“The amended regulations were published in late December 2017, tabled in both houses of parliament in May 2018, and considered by the Subordinate Legislation Committee in June 2018.”