The ACT is being asked to lead the nation on regulating the domestic use of upcoming coronavirus vaccine passports, to prevent further discrimination and infringement of freedoms.
In preparation for international jetting to again take flight, Australia has cleared vaccine passports for take-off from next month.
State governments are forging ahead with their own plans to link vaccination status to check-in apps which would allow people to enter venues.
Chief Minister Andrew Barr said the ACT was not heading down that path with the Check In CBR app - at least for now - and expressed concern at how easily the Commonwealth's vaccination certificates could be fraudulently produced.
"They are very difficult to verify, easily corrupted, and don't necessarily deliver any of the great public health or vaccination encouragement benefits that some might be claiming," Mr Barr said.
To suggest that vaccines passports were a "magic ticket of freedom" was flawed, he said, as Canberrans did not need a vaccination certificate to want to get vaccinated.
ACT Human Rights Commissioner Helen Watchirs urged the ACT government to ensure the serious step of giving people different rights or imposing restrictions depending on people's vaccination status would only be taken when necessary and proportionate for the legitimate public health reason of controlling COVID-19.
"It should not be left to the discretion of the private sector, where we could see different businesses imposing restrictions on clients and patrons in arbitrary ways," Dr Watchirs said.
The commissioner is recommending that conscientious objection to vaccination be accommodated.
"If designed correctly, vaccination passports have the potential to restore our freedoms, not inhibit them," Dr Watchirs said.
Further details about the Commonwealth's plans for the first international immunisation passports will be released soon, the federal government confirmed on Wednesday.
Immunisation information could automatically be linked to Australian passports for people entering the country.
Those travelling overseas could use a QR code through an international app.
A spokesman for Stuart Robert, the cabinet minister in charge of digital and data policy, said further details would be released soon.
"The Morrison government continues to work towards vaccine assurance standards that will be one element of enabling vaccinated Australians to move and travel more freely," he said on Wednesday.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said home quarantine would be key for restarting international travel with premiers asked to provide timetables about introducing the measure.
A trial in South Australia has involved 50 people using geolocation and facial-recognition technology to ensure they are at home for two weeks of isolation.
Labor is calling for a nationally consistent approach to vaccine passports, with forgery protections and assurances about data accuracy. The opposition also stepped up its attacks over the early handling of the vaccine procurement.
Australia has fully vaccinated almost 40 per cent of its over-16 population while more than 64 per cent has received a single dose.
- with AAP
