Australian government launches new national strategy for digital identification

The Australian federal government released the National Strategy for Identity Resilience, aiming to offer a new strategy for secure digital identification systems. It emphasises consent-based biometrics for online ID verification and inadequate security against biographical data or passwords.

The Australian implementation plan, which will replace the 2012 National Identity Security Strategy, intends to protect biometric data and privacy. The effort aims to promote trust and confidence in the identity system by implementing consistent national standards across jurisdictions. It offers ten principles, including using a digital ID, seamless interoperability, high standards, data collecting, retention, sharing, and responsibility. The plan encourages stakeholders to broaden current digital identity projects, with short-term measures lasting up to a year and long-term measures lasting three to five years.

The relevance of the Digital ID Resilience Plan in upgrading ID management has been emphasized by Public Services Minister Katy Gallagher and her Cyber Security counterpart Clare O’Neill. Their goal is to establish a secure and trusted digital environment for more innovative, safer, and more efficient service delivery, assuring Australia’s digital economy’s growth and making it the safest nation by 2030.