Greens urge caution on school fingerprint rolls

Australian Greens spokesperson for schools Senator Penny Wright has urged caution over the use of fingerprinting to record attendance at South Australian schools.

Senator Wright said the East Para Primary School community should have been more widely consulted and urged the State Government to conduct broader research and information campaigns before expanding the system.

"Biometric data is still not well understood and it's very natural parents will have concerns about privacy," she said.

"While electronic swipe cards are common, for many people fingerprinting does have that association with crime, so it is no wonder parents are anxious.

"Parents have the right to be heard about matters concerning their children and to raise questions about how the technology works before it is imposed on them."

Senator Wright, who also holds the Legal Affairs portfolio for the Greens, spoke out against new counter-terrorism laws and the expansion of biometric data retention at airports earlier this year.

"Before this fingerprinting is expanded to other South Australian schools, the State Government should lead a discussion about the technology and consult broadly with school communities."