Myth busters
Myths:
- The access card is a national ID card
- If it is not an ID card then there is no need for a photograph, number and signature to be on the surface of the card
- There is a mega database of people’s personal information
- If people do not have an access card they will be denied services
- People under 18 will be denied services because they won’t have a card of their own
- The access card will record every transaction including visits to doctors
- The access card will hold all my medical and health information
- The access card will hold my tax records and other financial information
- My bank account details and Tax File Number will be on the card
- The access card contains photos of my children
- I have to provide my fingerprints and iris scans
- The card will contain information about criminal records and fines
- I will have to pay for my new access card
- If I lose my card I will have to go through the whole registration process again
- The card and the Register are an easy target for hackers
- The Government is only bringing in the access card so it can keep an eye on me and my whereabouts
The access card is a national ID card
The card is not an ID card.
Legislation has been drafted to ensure that it cannot be demanded as identification. Specifically, the legislation ensures that:
- the card will not become a national identity card
- will not be compulsory to carry with you at all times
- will not be required for identity purposes to transact normal everyday business
- will not be required to be shown to anyone.
If it is not an ID card then there is no need for a photograph, number and signature to be on the surface of the card
Photo on the card
The need for the photo on the card is a key aspect of the access card. Without a photo, the system will still be susceptible to fraud and taxpayers will continue to wear the cost.
The photo on the card is needed to:
- reduce fraud
- reduce complexity
- increase customer convenience by providing a quick and convenient verification of the card holder
- provide a user-friendly and reliable method of accessing Commonwealth benefits
- allow card holders to use their card for identification if they choose
- improve access to Australian Government relief in emergency situations.
A photo will allow a person to simply and quickly prove who they are when accessing Commonwealth benefits, in agencies or when they are receiving benefits through pharmacies or GPs. It will also ensure only people who are entitled and eligible to receive government benefits are able to do so.
The inclusion of a photograph on the card will significantly enhance the identity security elements of the card, protecting the card holder’s identity and reducing opportunities for fraud.
One of the platforms of the new scheme is a strengthened proof of identity mechanism that has the capacity to authenticate users, identify their entitlements (such as concession status) and ensure they access the right services and benefits. A photo will be a major factor in preventing and detecting fraudulent health and social service transactions and activities.
Reliable proof of identity and the improved access control this permits are also essential components of any effective system to protect personal information.
The verification of existing cards depends heavily on visual checks of paper, cardboard and simple plastic cards. Verification of these cards is becoming less reliable. The absence of a photograph on existing cards compromises identity verification.
The need for the card number
The card number is necessary for the convenience of the card holder.
A card number is integral to the business operations of the Department of Veterans’ Affairs, Centrelink and Medicare Australia.
The number provides the means for service delivery, particularly for telephone and internet-based services.
If the number were to be eliminated from the card it would have several disadvantages:
- clients who contact agencies by telephone would be required to identify themselves by other means using multiple references and this may be more intrusive of their privacy, and this would also make client interactions lengthier and more complicated for agencies and their customers;
- some clients may have difficulty remembering numbers without these being easily visible; and
- if systems fail, the processing of transactions will be difficult in the absence of a visible card number.
The card number is not a unique identifier. It is a number that will only remain for the life of that card. When the card is replaced the card will have a new number on it.
The need for the signature on the card
A digitised copy of a card holder’s signature will appear on the surface of the card and also in the chip, and will provide greater convenience and security for the card holder.
The signature is being included in the chip as an added security device and will support customer authentication for claiming benefits when the customer is not present. Specifically, this occurs when customers mail in claim forms to a participating agency.
The digitised signature provides greater potential for security for the card holder by enabling a visual comparison of the signature at point of service and via mail requests.
There is a mega database of people’s personal information
There will be no mega database as part of the access card system.
Information provided by people when they are issued with an access card will be stored on a secure Register. The legislation specifies the basic information about the card holder that will be stored on the Register, that the Register must be established and remain within Australia and that it cannot be combined with participating agency databases. Individual customer records will continue to be held separately by Centrelink, Medicare Australia, the Department of Veterans’ Affairs and other participating agencies.
If people do not have an access card they will be denied services
The access card will not affect people’s eligibility for health benefits, veterans’ and social services, unless they are identified as being engaged in fraud.
Nobody will be denied access to services if they don’t have an access card, but once the two year registration period ends, people will need to be registered to access Commonwealth benefits, such as Medicare rebates.
People under 18 will be denied services because they won’t have a card of their own
There will be no change to eligibility for health benefits and social services for people aged under 18.
A person 15 years and over will be able to be issued with his or her own card if they apply, and are eligible for a Commonwealth benefit.
In some instances, people over 15 can apply for a card without needing their parent’s permission. This is currently the case with Medicare cards and there will be no change in this policy.
The access card will record every transaction including visits to doctors
There will be no mechanism for recording transactions or medical information. Your health records will be kept by your doctor or health provider as they are currently, and no medical information will be stored on the card, the chip, or the Register.
The access card will hold all my medical and health information
The card and the chip will not contain medical or health information, nor will this information be stored on the Register. Information about a person’s interaction with Medicare (for example) will remain in Medicare’s computer system as it does now.
The access card will hold my tax records and other financial information
Neither the card, the chip in the card, and/or the Register will hold any tax records or financial information.
There will be no linking of information in the Register to taxation or other financial information.
My bank account details and Tax File Number will be on the card
Your bank account details and Tax File Number are in no way linked to the access card, and will not be on the surface of the card, in the chip, or on the Register.
The access card contains photos of my children
The card will work in a similar way to your Medicare card and if you have children, their details will be included on your card’s chip. There will be no requirement to take or record photos of dependent children.
I have to provide my fingerprints and iris scans
Nobody will be required to provide fingerprints and iris scans. As part of the registration process, each person will be asked to pose for a biometric photo.
Biometric technology uses a person’s physical characteristics to develop a unique mathematical algorithm. For example, in the case of a biometric photo, a high resolution photograph is taken that is converted into numerical template, a unique representation which will be used to ensure that each person can only register once.
The card will contain information about criminal records and fines
There will be no information on the surface of the card, in the chip, or on the Register relating to a card holder’s criminal record or fines.
I will have to pay for my new access card
There is no cost involved in getting an access card.
If I lose my card I will have to go through the whole registration process again
If your access card is lost or stolen, a new card will be issued with a new card number. Once we have compared your photo with the photo of you in the Register, and verified that it is you, a new card can be issued quickly. There will be a quick turnaround time in getting a replacement card as you will have already registered for an access card.
The card and the Register are an easy target for hackers
Security and privacy are paramount to the access card.
Transactions involving the card will be securely logged, including access, authentication and the specific details of the transaction, to ensure there is no unauthorised access to customer information. All logs will be analysed constantly for abnormal behaviour.
There is zero tolerance in relation to unauthorised access to customer records.
An important element of the card’s security framework is evaluation, testing and certification by the Defence Signals Directorate — Australia’s national authority for information security and signals intelligence.
The card will also be extremely difficult to copy through the use of sophisticated tamper-resistant features similar to those used to protect banknotes, credit cards and passports.
The access card system will comply with applicable international and Australian standards to optimise security, interoperability and long-term maintainability.
The Government is only bringing in the access card so it can keep an eye on me and my whereabouts
Legislation ensures that the access card cannot be demanded as identification.
The access card will not contain records of the personal or financial transactions of the card holder, nor will it be linked to any closed circuit television networks.
Under the legislation, information in the Register cannot be disclosed to police or intelligence agencies, unless specifically permitted by the secrecy provisions, or if a warrant has been issued. These agencies will not have direct access or links to the access card Register.