Stories about: Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) has signed a three year contract with Pacnet for global network services under a whole of government telecommunications agreement.

The biometric data of each person entering Australia could be permanently stored in a central repository for identity verification and cross-checking between federal government departments, national and international anti-identity fraud efforts, and border control systems.

The lure of free phone calls might be enticing, but configuring commercial VoIP systems is still a black art

The Australian Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs (DIMA) has selected US-based identity management vendor Viisage to supply RFID or smartcard electronic document readers for Australia's e-passports.

Smartcard providers are gearing up for massive rollouts in the next two years in the wake of a federal government review into the introduction of a national identity card.

Radio Frequency Identification has the potential to revolutionize logistics, but first it must overcome its reputation as an intrusive technology.

In what is likely to be his last Budget between the Prime Minister's office or the back bench, Treasurer Peter Costello has bet the farm on a series of across-the-board tax cuts, backed by an ambitious series of welfare reforms where big picture IT simply does not figure - at least not for this year. IT Minister Helen Coonan's portfolio is marginally poorer, while security agencies including the Department of Immigration and Attorney have walked away with significant funding boosts for biometrics, identity management and data-drilling.

Wireless LANs were supposed to change the way we work and live, but the reality - at least where government is concerned - is very different

Criminals posing as legitimate businesses have accessed critical personal data stored by ChoicePoint, an IT giant accused of transforming itself into a private intelligence service conducting US national security and law enforcement tasks.

It's full steam ahead on Australia's biometric-cum-facial recognition passports. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) has requested both restricted and open tenders for integrated circuit chips, inlays, hardware, software and services for the first batch of prototype, new-age travel documents.

In a scorched earth budget that has spent $8.39 billion of surplus taxation revenue to appease voters, the federal government will spend more money than ever on new technology to nail down security - and new security to nail down technology.