A PLAN by Moonee Valley Council to subsidise the cost of identity-recording scanners to bars and clubs in the municipality has been met with caution from one of Australia's leading civil liberties organisations.
The council has announced it will pay half the cost of an identity scanner, up to $7000, for venues open after 1am.
Identity scanners are used to scan electronically patrons' identification cards when they enter a venue.
The council says the information can be used with CCTV footage when investigating incidents and effectively to identify banned patrons.
Liberty Victoria president Spencer Zifcak said once personal information was scanned no one knew how the information would subsequently be used.
He said if the council was paying for the scanners it would be no surprise if they were also asking for the information obtained.
Professor Zifcak, an international law expert, said ID scanners posed a significant threat to privacy.
"One club with the information scanning system could transfer their files between clubs so the network gets larger and larger.
"They could also share their files with security firms.
''The security firms might have links with Victoria Police or international security firms, and it goes on.
"It all poses a very significant danger to privacy and all the more so because it's not paper information; it's gathered electronically."
Moonee Valley Cr James Rankin said the council's scanner subsidy supported its commitment to improve public safety.
"This is being funded by a rate that late-night businesses pay to the council.
''We're putting that money back into venues to assist them to improve safety for everyone.
"[The] council also recognises the impact that some activities associated with late-night venues can have on surrounding residents and the wider community," he said.
Professor Zifcak said clubs ought to give people a choice of how they identify themselves.
"They could just be asked to write down their name and address or telephone number or email.
"Once one hands over a licence to be scanned electronically one has no idea of what could be done with it or whether it could even end up in criminal hands.
"It poses a very significant danger to privacy."
Moonee Ponds venue Delux Bar installed the ID scanners eight weeks ago. Three other venues in Moonee Valley have also installed the technology.
Delux Bar manager Blair McFarlane said there would be no issues with privacy.
He said people who did not present a photo ID to be scanned would be refused entry.
"The system is strictly monitored and all information is deleted after 28 days. It is not accessed by staff and not used for marketing or database information gathering."
Mr McFarlane said the system could be linked with other venues and a national network.
"It's a fairly powerful tool - it's another tool to put in place to eradicate the anti-social impacts a place like this can have."
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