dana2801
22-07-2007, 09:00 AM
Knew this was going to happen :(
Sunday Jul 22 16:13 AEST
Preventing terrorism trumps any infringement of civil liberties posed by greater regulation of the purchase of SIM cards, NSW Police Commissioner Ken Moroney says.
Under the proposed checks, mobile phone SIM card buyers would have to a passport or birth certificate - the same "100-point" identity check required to open a bank account.
State and territory police have proposed the move following discussions at the federal inquiry into the future impact of serious organised crime on Australian society.
Mr Moroney said the proposal was prompted by the increasing use of SIM cards as detonating devices in terrorist attacks, and in organised crime, where possession of multiple SIM cards is common.
"The acquisition of these cards is too easy, they can be acquired from tobacconists, from general stores," Mr Moroney said.
"Any mechanism available to us, such as the regulation of the sale and distribution of SIM cards, will certainly aid us."
The police commissioner said such regulations would help them better track down criminals.
Mr Moroney dismissed fears the proposed checks were an invasion of privacy.
"I have to be concerned about the civil liberties of everybody not just a small few," he said.
"I've got to be concerned about the ultimate civil liberty to be free from ... murder."
Mr Moroney said he expected police would keep a database of information collected from the 100-point checks but exactly how that might work would depend on how the laws were eventually drafted.
He doubted the proposed checks would be in place for Sydney's APEC summit in seven weeks' time.
Liberal MP Jason Wood, a member of the Joint Committee on the Australian Crime Commission, said police were unanimous in their support of the 100-point check.
"As an anti-terrorism measure, it would be effective in the awful event an attack does happen. It gives investigators a first point of call to find out addresses and it can be useful in preventing secondary attacks," Mr Wood told News Limited.
NSW Council for Civil Liberties president Cameron Murphy said the proposed changes would do little to deter criminals and terrorists as they generally relied on stolen SIM cards.
Mr Murphy said the new checks would most affect under 18s, who would find it difficult to meet the proposed proof of identity requirements.
"Mobile phones are now an essential tool for parents to maintain contact with their children and ensure their children's safety," he said.
"After the circumstances of Dr (Mohamed) Haneef, you can't expect relatives to go and take out a phone and provide the SIM card to someone else."
Sunday Jul 22 16:13 AEST
Preventing terrorism trumps any infringement of civil liberties posed by greater regulation of the purchase of SIM cards, NSW Police Commissioner Ken Moroney says.
Under the proposed checks, mobile phone SIM card buyers would have to a passport or birth certificate - the same "100-point" identity check required to open a bank account.
State and territory police have proposed the move following discussions at the federal inquiry into the future impact of serious organised crime on Australian society.
Mr Moroney said the proposal was prompted by the increasing use of SIM cards as detonating devices in terrorist attacks, and in organised crime, where possession of multiple SIM cards is common.
"The acquisition of these cards is too easy, they can be acquired from tobacconists, from general stores," Mr Moroney said.
"Any mechanism available to us, such as the regulation of the sale and distribution of SIM cards, will certainly aid us."
The police commissioner said such regulations would help them better track down criminals.
Mr Moroney dismissed fears the proposed checks were an invasion of privacy.
"I have to be concerned about the civil liberties of everybody not just a small few," he said.
"I've got to be concerned about the ultimate civil liberty to be free from ... murder."
Mr Moroney said he expected police would keep a database of information collected from the 100-point checks but exactly how that might work would depend on how the laws were eventually drafted.
He doubted the proposed checks would be in place for Sydney's APEC summit in seven weeks' time.
Liberal MP Jason Wood, a member of the Joint Committee on the Australian Crime Commission, said police were unanimous in their support of the 100-point check.
"As an anti-terrorism measure, it would be effective in the awful event an attack does happen. It gives investigators a first point of call to find out addresses and it can be useful in preventing secondary attacks," Mr Wood told News Limited.
NSW Council for Civil Liberties president Cameron Murphy said the proposed changes would do little to deter criminals and terrorists as they generally relied on stolen SIM cards.
Mr Murphy said the new checks would most affect under 18s, who would find it difficult to meet the proposed proof of identity requirements.
"Mobile phones are now an essential tool for parents to maintain contact with their children and ensure their children's safety," he said.
"After the circumstances of Dr (Mohamed) Haneef, you can't expect relatives to go and take out a phone and provide the SIM card to someone else."