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Australia to Share Biometrics Data with Canada and UK
Australia, August 25, 2009 – As part of the global push to enforce stricter border security and to eliminate identity fraud, Australia will be sharing fingerprints of immigration detainees with Britain and Canada.
Immigration Minister Chris Evans announced recently that an agreement has been reached with the two countries regarding the trade of biometric data. The group is anticipating that US will join the agreement.
The Immigration Department currently collects fingerprints from people held in immigration detention including illegal arrivals.
”This data-sharing will help Australian authorities to establish the true identities of unknown people, and ensure fraudulent cases are dealt with appropriately,” said Evans.
The agreement aims to identify people who are faking asylum claims, misrepresenting criminal histories and travelling with false identities. Evans said the retention of personal information will not affect privacy laws.
“If somebody arrives here with no papers, us merely collecting their fingerprint doesn’t assist greatly at that time but if they’ve got a fingerprint match in the United States or in the UK then you’re able to share information of who that might be,” said Evans.
Source:
brisbanetimes.com.au
