It would seem so:)

Got a link for that? As far as I'm aware we don't have an officially recognised form of biometric ID in this country

I'm from the south east of Melb, we got hit pretty hard, but thankfully only our kitchen got mildly flooded.

Doesn't look so good for the people in the surrounding suburbs judging by the footage I saw on the news though :(

What the hell that is crazy.

Where did you read about that?

Somebody's been watching too much Max Headroom.

http://www.zdnet.com.au/national-biometric-pub-list-use-explodes-339308908.htm

http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/you-want-a-drink-give-us-your-fingerprints-20110131-1a9zr.html

http://www.zdnet.com.au/privacy-act-doesn-t-cover-pokie-biometrics-339307746.htm

It could be much ado about nothing. I haven't had time to skip on down under in the last week or two:)

Well in all but name thats a gross violation of the national privacy principles, made worse by the fact that its not a recognised national database but one run by a private company

That's pretty much what the last story is about. They should be handed their arses over this one.

So the 'whistleblower' Wilkie wants this? Madness...

Wait, I'm not seeing anything about foreigners/tourists (maybe I'm not looking hard enough. I'm suffering extreme and delayed jet lag right now). I'm not sure my clearance will let me get into Pine Gap (the only base I'm aware of, since they shut down Nurrungar), and I'm pretty sure they don't have a bar on that base even if I could get inside. I'm surprised Obama hasn't ordered its dismantling (or withdrawal of US personnel. Again, I don't know a whole lot about it, aside that they watch satellites there), given it's controversy of late. The point being, I'm not wearing a damn computer chip just to get a weak lager.

Nor should you. Nor should anyone in fact since security camera footage should be perfectly adequate

Also, I'm reliably informed that american beer is like making love in a canoe

Our mircos are awesome. Yeah that mass produced stuff is horse piss.

I've always stuck by George Killian's Red. I have absolutely no idea where it came from. I don't know if it comes from Ireland, or if it comes from Irish immigrants who invented the recipe in the USA, or if Irish nationals sold/licensed the recipe to an overseas brewing company in the USA. I love the stuff, and have ever since my maternal grandfather snapped the cap off my first bottle of it when I was four years old, to the cries of "Dad! What the hell are you doing?! Don't give him that!"

So, iris scans are all they want?