National Identity database could threaten privacy standards
Locking up 'clients' indefinitely is the problem cabinet should consider Greens Senator Kerry Nettle today said the
recommendations from the Palmer report were unlikely to prevent future human tragedies being played out in detention
centres whilst the policy of indefinite mandatory detention remained in place. She also raised concerns that a national
database threatened privacy protections.
"The cabinet should be considering a return to the more humane asylum seeker processing that ran successfully in
Australia for decades if they truly want to address community concerns about asylum seekers," Senator Nettle said.
"National Identity databases are not going to prevent the vast majority of tragedies that the current system generates
because these tragedies are not about identity they are about indefinite detention.
"The proposals also threaten the privacy of all Australian's. The linking of various government databases will erode the
foundations on which privacy protection in Australia is built. Privacy should not be traded off for an illusory promise
of addressing immigration bungles.
"Mick Palmer was not asked to question the policy of mandatory detention, and as a result this core policy is not
affected by his recommendations.
"The problems besetting the department of immigration are largely politically driven policy problems which will not be
fixed by administrative tinkering.
"The Greens urge the government to recognise the need to scrap the mandatory detention policy and return Australia to a
more human and compassionate approach to dealing with asylum seekers."