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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 4 Hansard (8 May) . . Page.. 1218 ..

(b) can you say, on the record and without reservation, that the stored information cannot be used for any other purpose other that allowing access to the ACTAC building?

MRS CARNELL - the answer to the Member's question is as follows:

(1) The total cost for the new Fingerscan security system was $37,000.

(2) (a) Yes.

(b) The research and investigation for the Fingerscan system was carried out by the Corporate Services area of the Chief Minister's Department. Daintree Electronics Pty Ltd is the only other company in the ACT able to provide a security system similar to the finger scan based system. Quotes were received and reviewed from Daintree Electronics, in addition to Aulich & Co, the providers of Fingerscan within the ACT.

(c) Corporate Services staff were responsible for carrying out the scanning and logging of all authorised personnel. Staff were able to maintain their regular duties and workload whilst undertaking the requirements needed to implement the new system.

(3) (a) The new Fingerscan security for the Canberra Nara Centre has not increased the level of security, merely changed and upgraded the technology. The building houses highly sensitive information, including Cabinet and Budget material, the Government-wide financial system and ACT Public Service personnel records, in addition to rates and taxation information on the ACT community.

(b) The change was prompted because the Data Key System (DKS), in operation since self government, was out of date and inefficient. No up to date register of the 300 DKS keys existed and the keys which were expensive, required frequent replacement due to loss or damage. The maintenance cost for security within the building was $29,000 for the 6 month period July - December 1996 alone.

(c) The Chief Minister's Board of Management authorised the installation of the Fingerscan security system, with the agreement of the building managers.

(4) The Fingerscan security system is currently in use at Woolworths in Manuka as a staff management system for over 200 employees. Armaguard, Hawker De havilland and a number of other private companies also use the system. Other Australian Government buildings have had the system installed however details cannot be disclosed for security reasons.

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