ACT Government’s changes to driver’s licences leaves victims vulnerable

Shadow Minister for Regulatory Services, Ed Cocks MLA, is urging the ACT Labor-Greens Government to follow states such as Western Australia and South Australia and allow all victims of the Optus hack to replace their driver’s licence numbers.

The ACT Labor-Greens Government will only allow people who have had both identifiable numbers on their driver’s licence compromised to obtain a new licence number.   Victims who have had one identifiable number on their licence compromised will remain ineligible for a new licence number.

Mr Cocks acknowledged that the changes announced yesterday were a step in the right direction but said that many victims of the hack will still be left vulnerable to identity theft and fraud.

“The ACT Labor-Greens Government are moving too slowly and leaving too many people at risk,” Mr Cocks said.

“This is the third position Labor and the Greens have had in two days. 

“This is unacceptable, and it looks like they have decided a proper response is just too much effort.

“Both Western Australia and South Australia use the same licence number and card number system as the ACT and those governments are offering to replace all affected licence numbers.

“I am concerned about how the Government’s scheme is going to operate. It is arbitrarily limited and there is no doubt that people will fall through the cracks.

“The ACT Labor-Greens Government has admitted that they can change licence numbers when necessary. The question now is why are they unwilling to change them for all affected Canberrans?

“It seems Labor and the Greens are doing the bare minimum and willing to leave a lot of people vulnerable and at risk of identity theft and fraud.

“That’s just not good enough,” Mr Cocks concluded.