Australia
In Australia there is no universal identifying number for individuals. The closest to universal at present are:
- Medicare card number, for health services, although they may change regularly
- Tax File Number (TFN), for tax matters, including tax matters relating to non-citizens
- State Driver's License, for general matters, although if people have no driver's license they can supply a Passport or other identity card information
The Australia Card proposal would have created a universal number for Australian citizens and permanent residents. That proposal was abandoned in 1987. A 2005 proposal for an Access Card to health and welfare benefits was abandoned in 2007 due to privacy concerns relating to identity theft and disclosure of information. The Medicare and Tax File Number identifiers are protected by strict privacy laws.
Read more about this topic: National Identification Number
Famous quotes containing the word australia:
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—Alex Atkinson, British humor writer. repr. In Present Laughter, ed. Alan Coren (1982)
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—D.H. (David Herbert)