ID Systems and Politics

The Palmer report has caused the Australian government to consider a national identity system like that proposed for the Australia Card by the Labor government in 1986-87. The Australia Card Bill 1986 was rejected by the then Liberal opposition. This took the issue to a double dissolution of Parliament so that the Bill could be passed by a joint sitting of the House of Representatives and Senate. The Labor government was returned in the June 1987 election and the Australia Card Bill was passed by a joint sitting of both houses.

So why didn't we end up during the Australia Card system when it had been through the full democratic process under the Constitution and the legislation had been passed? Well it?s because a retired public servant Ewart Smith was kept awake one night by magpies and it dawned on him that there was a loophole to bringing the Act into effect. This was because the Act (as is often the case) did not have within it the start date. It required the passing of Regulations to specify the start date. As these Regulations were not part of the double dissolution legislation and as the Liberal opposition would not agree to the Regulations, the Act could not come into effect. Which all sounds like Labor blocking the tax cuts this year but not blocking the Regulations, which allowed new tax Schedules to operate. Ah the democracy of politics!

Whilst one would now expect that if the Liberal government proceeds with an identity system and Labor previously supported one with the Australia Card that it may be likely to proceed. However the Australia Card developed in a different context. Its purpose was to have a uniform identity, which would support Medicare, Social Security and Taxation requirements and help prevent double dipping and fraud. The current context is all about illegal immigrants and terrorism. If you would like a refresher on the mechanism of the Australia Card, the following is a reference which describes it:

http://austlii.edu.au/itlaw/articles/GGozcard.html

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