Hello, I’m Russell Broadbent, your Independent Member for Monash.
Today I want to flag an urgent and important issue – one that disturbs me and should disturb you to.
Just before Easter, the Senate rammed through the Digital Identity Bill - no debate, no consultation and no respect for the Australian people or the parliament.
Australia is fast heading toward a ‘Digital Prison’ where everything will be known about you. This will lead to a dangerous and unprecedented level of control over your life.
I don’t say this lightly, but this Bill threatens to rob each and every one of us of our autonomy, freedoms and way of life as we know it.
The Digital ID Bill has been presented under the guise of ‘keeping people safe’. Where have I heard that before?
We’re assured the Digital ID will be completely voluntary. But I doubt that - or do they mean ‘voluntary’ in the same way that the Covid injection was supposedly voluntary?
Sure, Digital Id will be voluntary - until you can’t lodge your tax return, access government services, or pay for your driver’s licence without one!
In my own case, I was forced to get a Digital Identity because I’m a director in my own Self-Managed Super Fund.
In 2022, the government regulated that everybody who has a Self-Managed Super Fund has to have a Digital ID.
Can you see where this is headed? I can.
It’s a slippery slope. A very slippery slope.
If the past four years have taught me anything, it’s that our government – and governments across the world – are increasingly using tyrannical tactics to achieve their goals of increased control over every aspect of our lives.
I don’t remember the government engaging with its citizens to outline the merits and risks – especially the risks – of such an initiative. Do you?
In the first half of 2023, according to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner, there were 409 significant data breaches involving health, financial, legal and insurance sectors - including government departments! Over 70% of these breaches were due to hackers.
So when did the government become so talented at creating a secure online platform that will protect our privacy? How can we trust them to keep our personal information safe and not to use the technology against us?
All my personal information - including my covid vaccination status - all in one spot. What could possibly go wrong?
Like most Australians I’ve had a gut full of being told what I can and can’t do, can and can’t say, and can and can’t think.
So, I ask again - how can we trust the government to keep our personal information safe?
Personal identity information is not something that Australians should be coerced to give up, just to be able to live their day to day lives in a Digital ID system, especially when there is no guarantee of security.
I urge you to contact your local member and share your views on the Digital ID Bill - while you still can!
And that’s justice as I see it.
