CAFBA patron selected for Digital ID stakeholder group

The Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman (ASBFEO) Bruce Billson has also been selected as part of the group, which is being led by the Minister for Finance senator Katy Gallagher.

Mr Gandolfo’s appointment to the group comes a week after Ms Gallagher opened a three-week consultation period on the new bill, which she said aims to provide more security for businesses and individuals.

The bill will look to expand the use of Digital ID throughout the economy and move it to a nationally regulated system that includes strong privacy protections and is accessible to both the public and private sectors.

As a result, the proposed bill will have ramifications for the commercial finance sector and how organisations obtain and hold information from customers, according to CAFBA.

The association stated: “For the commercial broking industry, the legislation means a simpler way to verify [customers’] identification information. Brokers will have access to a market of accredited Digital ID providers, offering both the broker and their clients peace of mind.”

The draft exposure bill aims to:

• Introduce a voluntary accreditation scheme for Digital ID service providers.
• Allow the federal government to partner with states, territories, and private sector companies “to create a better digital experience for Australians” thereby facilitating more choices of providers for creating a Digital ID and where it can be used.
• Enshrine additional privacy safeguards, such as prohibiting tracking of an individual’s online behaviour and extra protections around sensitive data.
• Establish the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) as the initial independent regulator to oversee the Digital ID accreditation scheme and operation of the Australian government Digital ID system and enable it to manage and regulate a ‘trustmark’ for accredited Digital ID provider.

Consultation on the Digital ID draft bill closes on Tuesday, 10 October 2023 with survey responses considered in refinement of draft legislation before it is introduced to Parliament.

The introduction of the final bill is expected to be released this sitting year.

Expanding a system already in place

Over 10 million Australians already use a Digital ID to access government services, myGovID, with the bill aimed to move it to a nationally regulated system that will be accessible across both the public and private sectors.

Work on a national Digital ID system began in 2014, while Ms Gallagher stated that the current system has its drawbacks.

She commented: “The current system has limitations. It is not national – the Commonwealth can only verify people biometrically against their passports, not against their driver’s licence or other ID documents issued by state and territory governments.

“MyGovID can only be used to access government services, limiting the choice that people may have and private sector providers can’t currently verify people biometrically against their government-issued ID documents.

“This falls short of our vision for a national, economy-wide system once fully operational,” noting that one in five Australians have been the victim of an identity crime.

In a speech announcing the consultation and release of the exposure draft bill last week (19 September), Ms Gallagher proposed that the new system under the Digital ID Bill would be “the online equivalent of being carded at the nightclub”.

[Related: Consultation opens on new Digital ID Bill]