The case has been put by John Hartnett, a retired scientist, that Australia’s myGovID, used for federal government services such as taxes, welfare, health, education and social services, will be extended in the future into a compulsory structure. At present, the use of the system is optional, outside of Centrelink uses, but could be made into a “social credit” system like communist China’s. “The digital identity will rapidly lead to a digital dictatorship inside of a digital prison, … People could be controlled through this sort of technology, coupled with the score each person is given. If you don’t behave, your score will be set to such a state that you cannot unlock any services like buying food or travel. Just take a look at China now with their social credit system.” Hartnett sees this as most likely because given one foot in the door, the door is always kicked open, and tyrants who think that they can get more power, act to try and secure it.
It would be advisable to take such warnings seriously. What to do? Concerned people should contact their local member of federal parliament to express their opposition, and certainly the independents, such as One nation. Would the Greens oppose something like this? I do not know, but given that it feels communist, maybe it will be their cup of tea. But check them out as well.
https://www.naturalnews.com/2022-10-20-australia-following-china-with-digital-id-system.html
“Experts issued warnings that Australia’s digital ID system mirrors that of Communist China’s. They added that while registration for the digital ID is still voluntary, it will only be a matter of time before it becomes mandatory.
As of writing, the Australia’s myGovID – used for federal services such as taxes, welfare, health, education and social services – remains optional. For people looking to start a new business, however, registering for the ID is compulsory. To sign up for myGovID, Australians 15 years old and above must present several identifying documents such as a passport or a driver’s license.
But John Hartnett, a retired physics research scientist, warned that allowing government control over a person’s access to services in one convenient form of identification could make tyranny more likely in the future.
“The digital identity will rapidly lead to a digital dictatorship inside of a digital prison,” he said during an Oct. 12 conference titled “Building the Digital Prison.” The event hosted by the Civilisationists and the Western Australian Legal Theory Association was held at the city of Perth, the capital of Western Australia state.
“People could be controlled through this sort of technology, coupled with the score each person is given. If you don’t behave, your score will be set to such a state that you cannot unlock any services like buying food or travel. Just take a look at China now with their social credit system.” (Related: Diabolical — How digital ID will control your life.)
According to Canberra, “creating and using a digital identity is not compulsory and is [a person’s] choice to make.” Hartnett, however, is not convinced as he does not believe it will remain optional forever.
“At the moment, it is voluntary to sign up for it,” he said. “But that is the usual means by which all compulsory mechanisms are introduced.”
Digital ID system serves as proof that privacy is already being invaded by government
Australia previously proposed a national ID, known as the Australia Card, under the term of former Prime Minister Bob Hawke in 1985. However, the proposal for this card was scrapped in 1987 after repeated opposition in the federal parliament.
The new digital ID, however, threatens to encroach on the privacy of individual Australians. Augusto Zimmermann, who is the head of law at the Perth-based Sheridan Institute of Higher Education, touched on this issue.
According to Zimmermann, myGovID – which manages and stores huge amounts of personal data – serves as proof that “privacy is already being invaded by the government.”
“I was horrified to see that even my medical reports, and everything I have concerning my private life that should never be of knowledge to the government, is already collected by the authorities here,” he told the Epoch Times.
Zimmermann ultimately said “the government should be out of this business altogether” with regard to digital identification.
“I’d feel less worried [if the government wasn’t] inventing a means by which we may be unable to make a financial transaction without having it be electronically monitored, or which could make it impossible to travel overseas or [to] another state without being identified.””