Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Opposition Business in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

I will not speak at length in respect of these government amendments. They deal with personal information, I understand. I did want to take the opportunity to talk about some of the matters that the minister raised in his speech in reply to the second reading debate. The minister commented that, when you look at the overall scheme provided for these identification cards and the way that the information will be kept, it is entirely appropriate, and there are many other schemes where cards are unaccounted for. But these types of identification cards are critical and they are tracked. It is critical that both ASICs and MSICs are accounted for with a very high degree of accuracy. Given that they are also subject to both ASIO and AFP checks, they have to be put into a different category where there has to be proper handling and accountability all the way through to ensure the cards do not go astray.

This bill is an opportunity for Labor to point out to the government that it is not really a response to the issue to say that, in comparison to others, this scheme is better. It is like saying, ‘I have done a wrong, but yours is worse than mine.’ In all instances, cards should be accounted for. It is disappointing that they were not accounted for appropriately and properly. There is, as I think the minister pointed out, broad agreement between the parties in supporting the bill—at least the Democrats and the opposition, and the Greens, I think, too, or am I wrong about that?