ID cards - nothing to hide and nothing to fear?

Earlier this week on the radio I heard Senator Brett Mason defending the idea of an ID card saying we cannot “dichotomise” the argument into privacy interests on the one hand and state interests in national security and welfare security on the other. Individuals, he points out, have an interest in national security. That raises an important point.

Much is made of the virtues of things like democracy and national security in this current environment, but the thing is, they are only means to more important ends. The security of our nation, the security of our borders, our economic success, our democratic traditions are all means of protecting our liberal society. There is no dichotomy - the individual’s rights are served by such things. The moment individual rights become casualties of national security, economic success and democracy, those things are pointless.

For the Liberal Government to consider introducing such a scheme offends the great traditions embodied by the Liberal Party. Both conservatives and liberals are committed to the restraint of government. Both conservatives and liberals are committed to individual freedoms. Conservatives act to maintain ancient liberties long established. Liberals commit themselves at their fundamental stage to the inherent worthiness of each individual.

Centralisation of personal (including genetic) data allows for significant abuses of power. It cannot prevent identity theft simply because it makes identity theft more feasible. It cannot prevent welfare fraud because there are many on welfare who simply won’t be able to afford to purchase the card, certainly not to replace it. Would we ever cut those people off welfare simply because they could not afford to be on it?

Tony Blair declares that ID cards constitute an idea whose time has come, but then that's what they said about fascism and socialism, which were comprehensively seen-off in the 20th century.