‘Streamlining’ digital ID

AUSTRALIANS will be able to access government services with a single log-in under a plan to create a “single digital identity” by 2025.

Michael Keenan, the federal minister in charge of digital services, said face-to-face interactions with government services would be greatly reduced.

“Think of it as a 100-point digital ID check that will unlock access to almost any government agency through a single portal such as a myGov account,” Mr Keenan said.

The minister wants Australia to be a world leader in digital government, with almost all services to be available online by 2025.

Mr Keenan said having 30 different log-ins for government services was not good enough.

“The old ways of doing things, like forcing our customers to do business with us over the counter, must be reimagined and refined,” he said.

People will need to establish their digital ID once before being able to use it across services.

The first of several pilot programs using a “beta” version of what will be known as myGovID will begin in October.

The initial pilot will enable 100,000 participants to apply for a tax file number online, which Mr Keenan says will reduce processing time to a day from up to a month currently.

In a pilot starting from March next year, services including student identification and Centrelink will be connected.