Smith says passports remain safe

The government has moved to reassure Australians about the security of their
passports after fraudulent documents were used by suspects in a political
assassination.
Mossad, Israel's secret service, is believed to be behind the organised hit on
senior Hamas operative Mahmud al-Mabhuh in a Dubai hotel room last month.
The Australian Federal Police has launched an investigation after it was revealed
three suspects in the assassination travelled to the United Arab Emirates on
Australian passports.
Foreign Minister Stephen Smith said the Australian passports used by the members of
the hit squad that killed Mahmud al-Mabhuh were from the L Series.
Mr Smith said there are about 200,000 such documents in use.
"People should understand very carefully that no one is suggesting that there is any
need to replace old passports," Mr Smith told parliament.
Microchip technology that carries personal information has only been used in
Australian passports since 2005.
"In May last year, 2009, I launched the so-called N Series, the latest of the
Australian passport series which enhances that technology," Mr Smith said.
Despite the dramas surrounding the fraudulent use of the passports, Mr Smith was
keen to play down any fears.
"In Australia there is a low incidence of serious fraud when compared to other
countries but when we do find these incidents of fraud they are very extensively
pursued."
Documents carrying biometric and or additional personal information are much harder
to adapt for fraudulent use, the Australian National University's Susan Harris
Rimmer said.
Despite this, she did raise some concerns.
"Biometrics have a mixed history but it's not the technology that is the problem but
the way they (governments) use the data," Dr Harris Rimmer told AAP.