Identity cards

Press, 25 September 1987, Page 18

Identity cards

\ sir,—Mr Hawke states that the proposed "Australia Card” is designed just to catch welfare and dole cheats. It sounds a,, great idea, but a closer look reveals also that. if you are employed in a job and you do not have a card, you may have to be dismissed or forced to resign, as it is an offence for your employer to pay you. You cannot get a new job as it is an offence for an employer to hire a cardless person; A person without a card will be denied access to pre-existing bank accounts, and cannot cash in investments, can--not give or receive money to or from a solicitor, and receive money invested in unit, property or 1 cash management trusts. Benefits will not be paid to the unemployed, widows, aged, invalid, sick, without a card. A hospital may refuse entry to a cardless person. - A cardless person cannot claim medical benefits. Cardless , persons cannot sell or let their own homes or land. Would New Zealanders like to see this kind of card introduced here? — • Yours, etc., , ', ■ : 4 ' ? J. McCAW. ■ September 22, 1987. .

■ \ City cyclists , < Sir,—City cyclists pay no licence fee, A.C.C. levy dr road tax and yet insist on their socalled right to barge around , when and where they please. In today’s user-pays society cyclists should catch a bus. — Yours,; etc •’ ' <: ; DAVE BRITTEN, , \ September 23, 1987. / ,;; < ,