The Digital Transformation Agency (DTA) has been working on Australia's digital identity system for a number of years, going live with the myGovID[1] -- developed by the Australian Taxation Office -- and accrediting an equivalent identity service[2] from Australia Post last year.
The myGovID and the Australia Post Digital ID are essentially just forms of digital identification that then allow the user to access certain online services, such as the government's online portal myGov.
There has been conversation around extending digital ID to allow the private sector[3] and state government entities to develop their own platform and DTA CDO Peter Alexander told Senate Estimates last week that the agency is moving forward with the plan.
"It is important to note, today we're using myGovID, but into the future, you'll be able to use a choice of identity provider, there'll be additional providers … it could be a bank, it could be a state and territory identity provider. So individuals and businesses dealing with the Australian government and national services will be able to make a choice," he said.
See also: More privacy conscious and not Australia Card 2.0: DTA defends digital identity play[4]
In addition to adding more services to the myGov portal that can be accessed with a digital identity, the DTA is also looking to add a digital, biometrically anchored identity. Revealing this in March[5], Alexander last week confirmed the capability would allow users to simply take a photograph of themselves for it to be matched to a passport.
"In time, that will be able to match the other biometrics that are held like driver's licences, working with vulnerable children -- whatever biometric is held," he said.
But the DTA is also