NSW proposes sharing driver licence photos with national facial-recognition system
A bill introduced in New South Wales would allow licence images to be uploaded to a nationwide facial-recognition database and grant police access to unblurred toll-road camera footage.
New South Wales has tabled a bill that would integrate state driver licence photographs into the National Driver Licence Facial Recognition Solution, joining South Australia and Western Australia in the federal database. The proposal also seeks to give police the ability to obtain unredacted images captured by toll-road cameras, initially covering the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Harbour Tunnel, to identify drivers in criminal investigations.
Police Minister Yasmin Catley argues the changes will block criminals from using stolen identities to launder money and assist in missing-person cases. Premier Chris Minns highlighted past difficulties tracking offenders who swapped number plates, noting the new access would reveal who is behind the wheel. Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon said requests for full images would be limited by specific search criteria.
The NSW Council for Civil Liberties, led by Timothy Roberts, criticised the plan as a step toward mass surveillance lacking adequate oversight. The government maintains that privacy concerns are taken seriously and that the system only returns a yes-or-no match.
Why it matters
The bill could expand state surveillance powers, affecting privacy and law-enforcement capabilities across Australia.
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