Albanese government developing proposal for new digital ID system to protect personal information

The minister for government services, Bill Shorten, will unveil a new initiative that would allow people to have more control over the personal information they share.

The scheme, called the Trust Exchange (TEx), would allow people to verify their identities and credentials based on official information already held by the federal government.

The plan is still in its very early developmental stage.

Shorten will tell the National Press Club on Tuesday that the scheme would mean “sharing only the personal information to get the job done – and in some cases, not handing over any personal information at all.

"It can all be done via the digital wallet on your phone – the TEx technology does the rest.”

In his speech, partially released ahead of delivery, Shorten gives the example of paying for a hotel room. Currently, a person may be asked for a driver’s licence or passport to do this.

“With TEx, instead of handing over those documents and having them taken to the back office to be photocopied, you will scan a QR code on the front desk – or use technology similar to tap-to-pay machine – which digitally shakes hands with your myGov wallet.

"You choose which information to share from your digital wallet and consent to its use.

"You will have a record in your myGov wallet of what you shared and with whom you shared it.”

Shorten says there are numerous advantages of the TEx system:

• a person would give their consent every time their information was shared
• they would choose what information to share
• the shared information would be trusted because of the rigorous privacy and security standards of the system.

A person starting a new job, for example, would be able to verify their identity via myGov or the government digital ID, and then through their wallet, share attributes of their identity with their employer – but only the ones they agreed to.

“It could be date of birth, address, citizenship or visa status, or qualifications, occupational licences or working with children check. You control what details are exchanged.”

In another example, TEx could be used for a person to prove they are old enough to enter a club.

“They’d just hold their phone up to a QR code or tap-to-pay machine, and a digital token will be sent to the club vouching for their identity, and they are over 18.

"None of that information needs to be kept by the club. The token will be a valuable promise to the club but of zero value to a cybercriminal.

"Because the confirmation token will not contain any personal information.”

Shorten says TEx could be used in exchanges between governments and businesses, as well as between consumers and governments and consumers and businesses.

“Whatever the case, online or in person, you choose what is shared, you consent to it being shared and you can trust it is safe.”

Michelle Grattan does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.