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The government of New South Wales, led by Premier Chris Minns, is investing $21.4 million in its decentralized digital identity program as part of the latest budget. This funding, expected to be available in the next financial year, is aimed at accelerating the state’s digital transformation.
According to InnovationAus, this investment follows recent federal legislation that sets guidelines for sharing sensitive personal data, thus facilitating a faster transition to digital services.
New South Wales has already spent a year testing digital identity, photo verification, and liveness checking technology integrated into the Service NSW app. The first digital identity verification service, allowing teachers and childcare workers to renew background checks online, launched in December 2023. Additionally, a trial for a digital first aid certificate is expected to commence soon.
The budget also includes $62.5 million for transitioning to an online licensing and compliance system and $53.6 million for cybersecurity and fraud prevention due to the high risk of digital fraud. This allocation includes $22.7 million for ID Support NSW, the state’s identity support unit. To support the Digital Identity and Verifiable Credentials (DIVC) program, $15 million will come from the Digital Restart Fund (DRF), with the remainder sourced from other funds.
In April 2024, New South Wales began piloting digital birth certificates to lay the groundwork for a broader digital ID program. In May, the state launched a public consultation to help shape its digital inclusion strategy.
Legislation Blocking myGov Personalization
Meanwhile, on the federal level, the head of Services Australia has indicated that current legislation is preventing the personalization of services through myGov. Although the agency has been testing personalized services based on users’ interactions with myGov-connected services like Centrelink and Medicare, legislation currently blocks the necessary information sharing across government departments.
The Australian government has a $67 million contract with Adobe for myGov services, but legal restrictions prevent the full utilization of Adobe’s Target software for personalized campaigns. An audit last year highlighted the absence of a legislative basis for collecting and retaining private data on the myGov platform and recommended adopting a privacy-preserving approach with transparent processes and safeguards.
Digital Transformation Agency Adjustments
The government is also transitioning the responsibility for the “life events” service from the Digital Transformation Agency (DTA) to Services Australia, which will continue developing a five-year plan. This shift has raised concerns among state representatives about a potential slowdown in delivering streamlined government services for major life events.
Queensland’s Guidelines for Digital ID
In a related development, the Queensland Council for Civil Liberties has released comprehensive guidelines for a compliant digital ID scheme. These include the Digital ID Rules, Digital ID Accreditation Rules, and Accreditation Data Standards. The guidelines emphasize a measured, transparent approach with strong safeguards and full public awareness of the implications and benefits of a digital identity system.
The council highlights that trust is crucial for the success of a digital identity scheme in Australia and outlines steps to ensure data privacy and human rights are protected during the rollout of digital IDs.
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