The following appeared a few days ago.
Roxon flags online identity checks
- by: Karen Dearne
- From: Australian IT
- April 20, 2012
THE Gillard government is looking at introducing a real-time identity verification system, Attorney-General Nicola Roxon told the Commonwealth Lawyers Association regional conference in Sydney.
"Document verification may not sound particularly sexy, but it is now a critical tool to control the validity of online transactions," she said this morning.
"Just think of how your personal and financial security is reliant on secure transfer and validation of information from our banking and finance sectors, Australia's large superannuation sector and maritime and aviation security.
"And, in contrast, how verification could support the fight against money laundering, terrorist financing and other organised criminal activity."
The federal police have recently warned that fraudsters are targeting superannuation funds held by older Australians, using stolen identity information to gain access to personal accounts.
Meanwhile, the current parliamentary Joint committee inquiry into Cybersafety for Seniors was also told shopping site eBay and payments provider PayPal wanted the government to introduce a strong online identity verification regime.
Ms Roxon said the government "is looking closely at ways we can deliver a simple, affordable and real-time service" providing national coverage.
"Reducing the costs of client identification will allow business to invest more in their products and marketing, while reducing their exposure to fraud," she said.
More here:
What on earth is going on here? We now have a proposal to develop a proper Identity Verification System - as opposed to the rather less powerful IHI service - and somehow we don’t recognise that such a service would really help all sorts of e-Health initiatives.
All I can say is I hope Health and Attorney General’s are talking in the background to see how the ongoing costs of each of these services can be minimised and better identity service provided.
Seems like the old right and left hand not actually knowing what the other is doing again. Surely Ms Roxon must have noticed!
David.