Article: Driver's smartcard licence delayed six years

[ozbob]

From the Sunday Mail click here!

Driver's smartcard licence delayed six years

Driver's smartcard licence delayed six years

Article from: The Sunday Mail (Qld)

By Darrell Giles

May 18, 2008 12:00am

QUEENSLAND motorists will have a new smartcard driver's licence from 2010 - almost six years after the Government originally planned to introduce it.

Transport Minister John Mickel yesterday confirmed the Government had invited companies to tender to print data on the licence.

He would not say what information would be contained on the microchips.

"Queensland Transport is currently evaluating offers for other services, including the supply of digital cameras and electronic signature and PIN pads," he said.

"This latest tender is for the final production of each driver licence. This includes printing information on the card face, loading data on to the smartchip and distributing licences."

The Government first flagged the idea of a digital licence in 1997, with Queensland Transport stating at the time that "the possibilities for smartcards are enormous".

It didn't get serious until 2004

when then-transport minister Paul Lucas said the smartcards would definitely be introduced in 2006.

Mr Lucas said motorists could potentially use their licence to receive credit card-linked royalty or reward points, for buying low-cost goods and services, such as public transport smartcards and parking tickets.

The possibility of digital licences being used to operate electronic ignition locks and punish motorists for drink driving, was also raised.

Concerns about card security and cost kept the project on the drawing board.

Mr Mickel said the new smartcard licence would protect motorists from identity theft and fraud and would be available by the end of 2009.

"It will include multiple security features to make it harder to forge," he said.

He refused to discuss any aspects of the card's mix of security features.

Queensland Transport was working with the International Standards Organisation to design a smartcard which worked around the world.

Opposition transport spokesman Tim Nicholls said the project had disaster written all over it.

"It has got all the hallmarks of another Labor Government technology bungle," he said.

"It was going to be a Public Private Partnership (PPP) and not cost taxpayers a cent. The $8-10 million to develop it would have come from the private sector, but everything was shelved.

"It is quickly turning into a debacle, just like the Go Card," he said, referring to the controversial electronic public transport smartcard.

A re-run of the go card troubles?

[tomato]

Just came upon this whilst doing a search (for something else ! ) ....... would make it possible for out of towners to hire bicycles in the Brisbane City initiative as mentioned in the last couple of days ....

Anyone got an update