"This Bill has seen almost no debate, and no public consultation -- yet it introduces the most fundamental attack on our personal freedom since the failed 'Australia Card' proposal of the 1980s," said Anna Johnston, chairperson of the APF.
Labor state MP and parliamentary secretary Tony Stewart first introduced the bill last December with the intent to authorise the Roads and Traffic Authority (RTA) to introduce a state photo card for those who had no driver's licence, proof of age card, or other forms of identification such as a passport or photo birth card.
"Many people often have a need to produce some form of personal identification in order to secure goods and services. Businesses and government agencies also rely on a photo identification document to provide assurance that the person that they are dealing with is who they say they are. The NSW Government has been approached by numerous community groups asking for a NSW photo card," he previously said.
On behalf of then Roads Minister Carl Scully -- who first drafted the Bill -- Stewart denied that the NSW photo card was another 'Australia Card'.
"The card will be purely voluntary and will help those in the community who have a need for a photo card but cannot have one because they do not fit the criteria for other photo identification," Stewart said during the Bill's second reading.
However, APF's Johnston said the Bill was the "worst kind of Big Brother proposal" because it "places no limits on how much information the RTA can collect about people, and few limits on who can access the data". Additionally, she believes the centralised database required to realise the proposal is likely to increase the risk of identity theft and fraud.
"They will be able to track when you book a flight, borrow a video, post a gift overseas, or go to the pub. The Commonwealth Government has recognised the risks of centralising vast amounts of personal data -- it means only one database to hack into, or one clerk at the RTA to bribe," said Johnston.
"If the Coalition, minor parties and independents don't force amendments to this Bill, we will soon be seeing an Australia Card for NSW," she added.
All they are trying to is create a Driver's License that doesn't allow you to drive a car or have to take a test to get the ID. What's the problem with that? Becuase the RTA doesn't monitor all my transactions that I make when I have to produce my Driver's License?