Alex Antic (SA, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

Australian cities are becoming digital surveillance precincts, with so-called 'smart city programs' being rolled out across the country. Invasive technologies such as facial recognition cameras, licence plate readers, smart lights, smart poles, smart cars, smart neighbourhoods, smart homes and smart appliances are all connected to wireless networks and communicating with each other. What's wrong with that? Technology is good, isn't it? All this is for your safety, security and convenience, isn't it? Let me tell you—your streets are spying on you, your mobile phone is spying on you and your cities are spying on you. The infrastructure for future lockdowns is being put into place right now.

Don't be fooled. You're being set up to be tracked through your movements and through the future of your digital wallets. By handing over your data, you're handing over the ability to monitor your behaviour, which will soon be turned into a social credit score. Once the central bank digital currencies are in place, you won't get to spend your money without approval. Digital ID will soon become a reality in Australia. Many other countries are already rolling these systems out—countries like Canada, Scotland and many others. Eventually, you won't be able to access any government or public services, and you won't be able to travel across borders or access health care or the internet without a digital ID.

You think you won't comply? I think you will. The last two years were the dress rehearsal, and we fell for it hook, line and sinker. Australians are sleepwalking into this technocratic future. While we're sitting around, scratching our chins, trying to work out whether this is really happening, Australia is drifting towards a dystopian digital future.