Document verification and identity management Anna Johnston Chair, Australian Privacy Foundation Document verification and identity management Safeguarding Australia 2005 12 July 2005, Canberra

Risks of centralised identity models makes identity fraud / theft easier only need to hack one database, or bribe one person, or forge one document false sense of security remedying identity theft much harder for the victim plus privacy risks!

DVS : what we know aims to tackle problem of fake foundation documents strengths: allows dispersed identity model ‘blind’ system, no data retained limitations: won’t deal with ‘real’ foundation documents obtained fraudulently

DVS : what we don’t know cost of problem intended to fix? cost of strategy (including DVS)? will it be effective? on what types of identity fraud? what other options are there? what might undermine the strategy?

UK examples of costs cost of identity fraud est. £1.3 billion pa approx £35 million pa to be eliminated by national ID card LSE estimates cost of national ID card at between £10.6 billion and £19.2 billion solution costs much more than problem

Are we all on board? Medicare smartcard risks becoming a de facto national ID card NSW combined driver & non-driver photo ID card - unique and universal identifier Various State & Federal proposals increase risk of identity fraud because of centralised identity models