Service NSW launches Digital ID pilot

The NSW Government’s Digital ID system, in planning and development for some years, has reached the pilot stage, with a voluntary pilot for residents aged 16 and over participating in the state’s toll rebate scheme. The pilot will allow people to verify their identity using biometric facial recognition combined with traditional documents such as driver’s licences, passports and birth certificates.

The aim of the new digital identity verification system is to simplify how residents prove their identity when accessing state government online services. It aims to enhance privacy by letting users share only necessary information and eliminating the need to repeatedly provide physical documents for different services.

The digital identity system integrates with the citizen’s existing MyServiceNSW Account, offering a streamlined experience where individuals only need to verify their identity once to access multiple services over time. Verification data is cross-checked against records held by various state and federal agencies, including the Attorney-General’s Department and Services Australia, ensuring robust authentication.

The program is expected to gradually expand beyond toll rebate users, with the ultimate goal of providing residents with more control and security over their personal information while interacting digitally with state government services.

NSW Minister for Customer Service and Digital Government Jihad Dib announced the pilot on LinkedIn, saying it was a critical first step before making the system available more widely.

“So much of our personal information is overshared when we hand over documents, but NSW Digital ID gives you more privacy and control to share only the information you need to,” he said.

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