afr article today (page 48), page-9

Herald Sun today. No mention who will supply contract.

September 04, 2009 12:00am
.VICTORIAN drivers' licences are to get a huge security boost with the introduction of CSI-style facial recognition technology.

The developments are aimed at stamping out misuse of licences in money laundering and illegal immigration, as well as the trade in fake licences.

Victoria's new-look licences will be the same size but have a see-through strip in the middle.

They will also include secret safety features, making it harder to produce forgeries or tamper with details on the card.

Facial recognition technology will analyse 170 points on a driver's face, and check other records, making it virtually impossible for one person to have more than one licence for multiple identities.

Information about any potential matches that VicRoads discovers will be handed to the police.

The overhaul follows a Ombudsman report highlighting massive security gaps in VicRoads licensing.

Criminals have been able to produce fake licences that look like genuine Victorian licences.

VicRoads was expected to start issuing the licences from November.

Drivers won't have to get the new licences straight away, but will get them as they renew.

More than 750,000 drivers - about a quarter - will have the new licences within a year.

VicRoads will no longer issue licences over the counter, but at a centralised secure place.

Roads Minister Tim Pallas said this would keep VicRoads ahead of the frauds.

"Bringing the production of all driver licences into a centralised and more secure facility allows VicRoads to include more sophisticated security features," he said.

"Driver licences are often involved in fraud and as society becomes more technologically savvy, we need to be a step ahead of the game."

About two thirds of licences will continue to be renewed by mail.

But drivers can go to one of 76 photo points, or 37 VicRoads customer service centres to have their photo taken. A licence will be mailed within a week.