“Border control tech players Vision-Box will deliver part of a radical Immigration Department overhaul for Australia’s airports that will do away with passport scans for travellers. The government has awarded the company a three-year, $22.5 million contract to install upgraded biometric scanning for most international passengers as Immigration bids to speed up the flow of travellers.
“Using facial recognition technology, passengers known to Immigration will be able to self-process their border entry without a passport check. Immigration wants to run an initial trial at Canberra Airport in late 2017 and finish the roll-out by mid 2019.
“Immigration Minister Peter Dutton said the technology would improve the efficiency and speed of border processing for travellers. As the number of passengers and crew cleared through the border at Australian airports each year is projected to rise 25 per cent to 50 million by 2020, Immigration wants 90 per cent of eligible travellers self-processing at the border by then. The Immigration Department has sought technology that would abolish incoming passenger cards and replace manned desks with electronic stations and automatic triage.
“The plan goes much further than the SmartGates currently installed at some airports that require passports to be scanned electronically. Those gates, introduced less than 10 years ago, will be retired as part of the new ‘contactless’ system. Global tech giants IBM and Hewlett-Packard are among IT firms to have shown interest in other border control changes that will replace plane ticket checks and passenger cards for travellers. Immigration has briefed industry players in San Francisco, Singapore and Bangalore, and has also invited artificial intelligence and robotics companies to help it design a new visa system in a bid to automate more assessments, potentially with AI.”
These changes at Australia’s borders will make it easier for governments to stop travellers from entering Australia if they are on a “no entry” list.
“We have no time to lose. The end is near. The passage from place to place to spread the truth will soon be hedged with dangers on the right hand and on the left. Everything will be placed to obstruct the way of the Lord’s messengers, so that they will not be able to do that which it is possible for them to do now. We must look our work fairly in the face and advance as fast as possible in aggressive [spiritual] warfare. From the light given me of God I know that the powers of darkness are working with intense energy from beneath, and with stealthy tread Satan is advancing to take those who are now asleep, as a wolf taking his prey. We have warnings now which we may give, a work now which we may do; but soon it will be more difficult than we can imagine. God help us to keep in the channel of light, to work with our eyes fastened on Jesus our Leader, and patiently, perseveringly press on to gain the victory.” Maranatha, page 29.