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

Yesterday Senator Field­ing asked me a question about the impact of changed names on tracking people's identity. I seek leave to have additional information in response to the question incorporated in Hansard.

Leave granted.

The answer read as follows—

Change of name procedures are managed by the States and Territories.

The Federal Government is aware of the diverse approach by jurisdictions to change of name processes and the exchange of change of name information with law enforcement agencies.

The Government considers the development of a nationally consistent approach to change of name would strengthen law enforcement, service delivery and national security outcomes.

Attorneys General have agreed to develop best practice change of name processes.

A SCAG working group, led by NSW, is currently looking at options for reform.

We hope that this work will be finalised by the end of the year.

SCAG's deliberations will provide important input to revision of the National Identity Security Strategy, work being led by my Department in collaboration with Commonwealth, State and Territory agencies.

This work will establish policies and procedures that better protect the identities of Australians by strengthening the integrity of identity documents.

On the issue of privacy, the Government's privacy reforms, in the form of draft legislation, are currently being considered by the Senate Committee on Finance and Public Administration. The

proposed reforms include provisions that would assist the flow of information between law enforcement bodies in circumstances such as notification of change of names.