Ignorance is bliss. Australia's New e-Passport under review. Concerns about the design and the $10 Million a year contract.
Questions need answers not complacency.
The Australian Government continues to bury its head in the sand and fails to address issues of concern related to the design and administration of Australia's flawed online e-passport system. Security issues still remain unaddressed.
After considerable angst and intervention by no less then two Senators I managed to secure a new e-passport. Having had to pay the unfair cost/tax imposed by the Federal government for being a victim of crime. (I am still waiting three months down the track for the promised refund of this unjust tax. DFAT is not an efficient organisation - accountable to no one it seams)
Australia's new designed passport is not what the Minister has made it out to be. At an additional cost of $10.00 a electronic chip and an estimated one million new passports a year, someone has creamed an extra 10 Million dollars from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. (We would love to see the accounts and contract and wonder if it was a "mates rates" deal)
My new passport is just three months old and already showing signs of excessive wear and tear with every person you show it to rubbing the chip to feel what it is. (A tip to any other country that is considering wasting money on this new technology - Look else where and don't embed the chip between two pages glued together. If you must adopt new technology then consider a hard-back plastic cover similar to the EU passports and the numerous solid access security cards that are on the market. (Less chance of passport falling apart. I give my passport another year or two at the most at which time I will consider making a `defective item claim against DFAT/Australian Passport Office. I advise others to do likewise)
The whole design concept is outdated and seriously flawed. There would be more security and less cost in maintaining a on line data-transfer system then relying on the information embedded on the chip. When a person crosses a border from one country or passes through customs control then the information required is transferred electronically from one country to the next with neighbouring countries/boarder crossing database updated with the latest status. This process could readily also transfer the information embedded in the new e-passport chip.
Do not get sucked into thinking that the new passport delivers better security then the old design. It doesn't. Access to online information can be achieved by the bar code already printed on existing passports.
Clearly with the extent of ongoing denial or responsibility coming out of Alexander Downers department the Australian Government should undertake a major review of the whole system including the flawed online information management system, the design of the new passport and the rip-off 10 Million dollar contract to implement flawed technology.
Hopefully questions will be asked when the Senate next meets.
Alexander Downer the buck stops with you.
If John Howard had any integrity he would replace Downer with someone more appropriate, someone who would not be complicit in the AWB scandal or paying corrupt bribes in clear breach of international sanction.
The Australian Government continues to bury its head in the sand and fails to address issues of concern related to the design and administration of Australia's flawed online e-passport system. Security issues still remain unaddressed.
After considerable angst and intervention by no less then two Senators I managed to secure a new e-passport. Having had to pay the unfair cost/tax imposed by the Federal government for being a victim of crime. (I am still waiting three months down the track for the promised refund of this unjust tax. DFAT is not an efficient organisation - accountable to no one it seams)
Australia's new designed passport is not what the Minister has made it out to be. At an additional cost of $10.00 a electronic chip and an estimated one million new passports a year, someone has creamed an extra 10 Million dollars from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. (We would love to see the accounts and contract and wonder if it was a "mates rates" deal)
My new passport is just three months old and already showing signs of excessive wear and tear with every person you show it to rubbing the chip to feel what it is. (A tip to any other country that is considering wasting money on this new technology - Look else where and don't embed the chip between two pages glued together. If you must adopt new technology then consider a hard-back plastic cover similar to the EU passports and the numerous solid access security cards that are on the market. (Less chance of passport falling apart. I give my passport another year or two at the most at which time I will consider making a `defective item claim against DFAT/Australian Passport Office. I advise others to do likewise)
The whole design concept is outdated and seriously flawed. There would be more security and less cost in maintaining a on line data-transfer system then relying on the information embedded on the chip. When a person crosses a border from one country or passes through customs control then the information required is transferred electronically from one country to the next with neighbouring countries/boarder crossing database updated with the latest status. This process could readily also transfer the information embedded in the new e-passport chip.
Do not get sucked into thinking that the new passport delivers better security then the old design. It doesn't. Access to online information can be achieved by the bar code already printed on existing passports.
Clearly with the extent of ongoing denial or responsibility coming out of Alexander Downers department the Australian Government should undertake a major review of the whole system including the flawed online information management system, the design of the new passport and the rip-off 10 Million dollar contract to implement flawed technology.
Hopefully questions will be asked when the Senate next meets.
Alexander Downer the buck stops with you.
If John Howard had any integrity he would replace Downer with someone more appropriate, someone who would not be complicit in the AWB scandal or paying corrupt bribes in clear breach of international sanction.
posted by Downer's Travels at 10:30 PM
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