Page 1653 - Week 06 - Wednesday, 18 May 1994
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However, we are not talking about national capability. We are talking about a small political entity that will always remain small. I doubt whether any member of any government would take the step of saying that this form of identification will now become compulsory. There are others who probably do not share my naivety on this matter. I do not see any danger in it, although there has been the broader debate about this form of identification. I can see that it would be valuable to many people, not only the young people on whom Mr Moore is basing his proposition, but also older people who need to establish their identity for many reasons and perhaps do not have the forms of identification that other people possess. I am sure that in the intervening age groups there are many people who might have suffered some physical disability and who do not have a drivers licence because of that and do not have any recognised form of identification. A form such as Mr Moore is proposing here would be useful for them. Although I recognise that there can be a down side to this, which other people will put, I am sure, quite forcefully, I accept the good intent of Mr Moore's motion. I think that there are good reasons that would justify our adopting this motion.
MR STEVENSON (12.21): Many people trust politicians to not take such a step further. I met one once. Other people would have a concern that once a system is introduced it makes it all that much easier for politicians to give various justifications as to why we now should make sure that everybody has one of these because they are so useful here and here. One could think of many justifications as to why identification would be useful. But, as Mr Kaine mentioned, that argument was thumped on the head heavily during the debates on what was laughingly called the Australia Card, one of the most unAustralian things - a national ID card.
Ms Follett: Hear, hear!
MR STEVENSON: That was a good thing too, as the Chief Minister acknowledges. However, politicians being politicians, they did what they could with the tax file number to introduce it surreptitiously. Of course, you cannot trust politicians. You can trust them to do certain things, but many of those things will not be democratic. So that is the major concern, although something might sound like a good idea at the time. Look at income tax. It was introduced at a rate of one per cent for a short period. What happened? How many millions of lives have been ruined? How many people have been put out of unemployment and cannot afford to buy a home?
Mr Kaine: You mean employment.
MR STEVENSON: Put out of employment. You are quite right.
Mr Humphries: You have been drinking, Dennis, haven't you?
MR STEVENSON: Ha, ha! Mr Berry and I were talking about vegetarian wine at a function last night. He said, "There are no animal products in there". It smelt like a fair drop, although I did not partake of any. I prefer the non-alcoholic variety, not just the vegetarian variety.
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