Australia's Big Brother laws

POLICE will need a host of invasive forensic powers such as iris-scanning technology and a DNA database - which could include innocent people - not only to fight terrorism but also lesser crimes such as car theft, the NSW Police Commissioner has warned.

Ken Moroney yesterday dismissed civil liberties concerns as he repeated a call for enhanced identification checks when people buy mobile phone SIM cards and confirmed police might soon have expanded powers to collect DNA.

"I hear oppositions that these are breaches or potential breaches of civil liberties," Mr Moroney said. "Let me say this, every police officer … [has] to be concerned about the civil liberties of everybody - not just a small few. We have to be concerned about the civil liberty of being able to leave your car on the street without it being stolen. Sydney Morning Herald