Objective 3 — You will be able to choose a secure and easy-to-use digital identity to access all digital government services
We understand the challenge of having to prove again and again who you are to government in person, when trying to use digital services. This year we released myGovID, the Australian Government’s digital identity, that will help you securely and conveniently access the digital services you need, without having to visit a government shopfront. We’re testing the digital identity system through a series of pilot programs. One of the first of these pilots is trialling a fully digital Tax File Number application process. We are using the participants’ feedback to make improvements to the system and accompanying policies to make sure we get it right.
People are using the Australian Government’s digital identity service to securely prove their identity and access government services digitally. By November 2019:
The myGovID App had been downloaded 152,308 times.
Australians had established 86,727 digital identities.
myGovID has been used to log into the Australian Tax Office’s (ATO) Business Portal 153,472 times.
There are 2 identity providers accredited under the Trusted Digital Identity Framework, the Australian Government’s myGovID and Australia Post’s Digital ID.
myGovID helps you securely and conveniently access digital services without visiting a government shopfront.
Case studies
Digital Identity
You can already access many government services digitally, but for some you need to visit a government shopfront to show identity documents to complete the process.
Digital identity removes this difficulty. It provides a single, safe and secure way to access a greater range of government services digitally. Establishing a digital identity is like doing a one-time 100-point identification check online, at a time and place convenient to you, that can be used again and again to access the services you need.
You will have the choice to opt-in to use a digital identity. You can already use a digital identity to access the ATO’s Business Portal, and soon you will be able to access myGov, Youth Allowance and Newstart Allowance and create a Tax File Number or Unique Student Identifier.
We want to provide Australians with choice and control over who they share their identity information with. We accredited Australia Post as the second trusted identity service provider under the Trusted Digital Identity Framework in July 2019. We will accredit more identity providers – such as financial institutions or utility providers – as the system matures to increase choice for Australians and to become a whole-of-economy solution.
Digital identity will truly transform the service experience for those Australians who choose to use it.
Digital Transformation Agency and Australian Tax Office
Digital Identity Pilot: Tax File Number Applications
We’re making sure we get every aspect of the Digital Identity program right. This includes the technology, the integrity of the system, and most importantly, privacy and security. We are testing the system with Australian people and businesses through pilot programs. We are using the feedback from these programs to improve the system and policies.
The first pilot tested a fully digital Tax File Number Application process. While you can start a digital Tax File Number application online, you need to print the forms and take them with your identity documents to an Australia Post office to complete the process. This means an application for a Tax File Number can take up to a month to complete. With digital identity, this process will only take minutes and will be more convenient. We’re using this pilot to make sure we’re building a system that meets your needs and expectations.
Digital Transformation Agency and Australian Tax Office