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If you like a good, broad mix of Science - new science, hard science, pop science, historical science and very silly science, listen to Diffusion. |
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If you like a good, broad mix of Science - new science, hard science, pop science, historical science and very silly science, listen to Diffusion. |
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This is a special edition of the Diffusion Science Radio show looking at a controversial application of science and technology: the proposed card to identify everyone accessing Australian government services.
 Download/listen, 64kbs MP3 (13.4 MB) diffusion2007-03-01_64kb |
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Download/listen, 128kbs MP3 (26.8 MB) diffusion2007-03-01 |
Diffusion Podcasts |
Developments in "smart-card" technology have resulted in a push by governments world-wide to identify people (eg Real ID in the US, and the Access Card in Australia) - ostensibly to reduce fraud by those who use their services. Unfortunately, extensive collection of personal details could lead to abuse and suppression of dissent.
Will the Access Card Bill be passed and effectively become a National Identity Card?
We speak with Professor Graham Greenleaf of the University of New South Wales and former New South Wales Deputy Privacy Commissioner Anna Johnston, now of the Australian Privacy Foundation. They explore the issue of function creep by which the access card would become a de facto national identity card and the risks that involves.
Engineer Aras Vaichas explains the workings of possible smart card technologies, and how they might be made secure.
Concealment of identity when exposing fraud and malpractice has long been an issue for whistleblowers. That has partly been resolved by disguising their voice. We experiment with a further level of concealment - concealing the inteviewer as well, by replacing their voice with an anonymous synthetic voice.
We also explore synthesising an interview - using answers from a real interview but splicing them with new questions spoken by an anonymous interviewer voice.
The show was presented by Darren Osborne and produced by Ian Woolf and Charles Willock from the Diffusion Science Radio team at 2SER Sydney.
Is it now possible to ensure complete anonymity for both interviewer and interviewee?
What steps are required to eliminate all clues to identity?
What are the as-yet-undisclosed "commercial benefits" of the card.
The interview with Anna Johnston was synthesised from a story by
Alex Koutts, produced by Erica Vowles and
originally broadcast
on 13th February 2007 by
2SER on The Wire.
Permission to adapt and rebroadcast that interview is
gratefully acknowledged.
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Download/listen, 128kbs MP3 (26.8 MB) diffusion2007-03-01 |
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Links used in preparing the Big Brother special program are listed below. It is worth noting that while most pages remain constant, some government web sites, changed on an almost daily basis).
Privacy legislation applied to businesses is substantially different from privacy legislation for government organisations.
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Return to REFERENCES List
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The Australian government's push for an "access" card is supported by a business model which is claimed to justify the billion-dollar expenditure.
Unfortunately, the relevant sections in government publications are inaccessible "for commercial reasons" or are labelled "government in confidence".
At the same time businesses appear to be directly resisting attempts for more open access by shareholders, or - more indirectly - via a shift to "private equity" funding.
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![[IndyMedia]: Difference between rejected 1986 ID-card and present proposal](http://melbourne.indymedia.org/uploads/idcard.jpgbutypf.jpg){kind=link}