The Nationals vote against Digital ID and government overreach

Leader of The Nationals David Littleproud is warning Labor’s new Digital ID legislation risks
government overreach and locking people out of systems who don’t have the technology
required.
Mr Littleproud said the Bill on Australian Government Digital ID Systems (AGDIS) had been
steamrolled through Parliament, after debate in the Senate was guillotined.
Mr Littleproud said the Bill was very different to the draft released by the Coalition in 2021.
“The Nationals are concerned Labor’s Digital ID will not operate on a genuinely voluntary
basis, as was originally intended, while also failing to operate without causing detriment to
those who choose not to have a Digital ID,
” Mr Littleproud said.
“The Nationals therefore pushed for a stronger guarantee that having a digital identity
would be voluntary and those who wished to use traditional paper-based ID wouldn’t face a
lower quality service.
“While Digital ID might be used for security and convenience, the ID could lead to issues
with government overreach and security breaches. It could also force people into mandatory
use and essentially ‘locked out’ without the ID.”
Mr Littleproud added the Opposition is also concerned that the Digital ID systems of State
and Territory Governments won’t operate with the same volunteer-basis and safeguards.
“We believe there should always be an alternative, non-digital means to access government
services but the vote could make that much harder.
“It is unacceptable that the Government is proceeding and a grave failure by the Minister for
Finance without first having the states and territories fully onboard via a national strategy.
“Labor has also introduced this without first reforming the Privacy Act. The Nationals voted
against Labor’s AGDIS due to ambiguity, the inc