NSW Government launches first release of digital licences

Over the weekend the NSW Government launched the first release of digital licences, making them available for recreational fishers and people working within the hospitality industry.

Licences including the Recreational Fishing Fee, Responsible Service of Alcohol [RSA] and Responsible Conduct of Gambling [RCG] can now be accessed through the new ‘My Licences’ digital wallet on the Service NSW app.

Minister for Finance, Services and Property, Dominic Perrottet said the launch marked a ‘quantum leap’ in government technology, paving the way for digital driver licences by 2019.

“NSW is leading the nation in government technology, and the number one reason is that we are determined to offer the best services to make life easier for the people of NSW,” Mr Perrottet said.

“If you carry a smartphone in your pocket and you’re looking forward to a wallet-free future, digital licences make so much sense – they’re easily accessible, safe and secure, and it’s one less thing to stuff in your wallet.”

Currently there are over 2.8 million plastic cards that are issued each year, which Perrottet says costs the government millions of dollars in printing. The new digital licences are all about cutting costs and offering citizens choice and convenience.

Digital licences are able to be renewed and updated with the click of a button, doing away with people having to line-up at a Service NSW centre or wait for confirmation in the post.

Perrottet said the three digital licences are just the beginning as the NSW Government aims to digitise more licences in the next four to five years. Currently there are more than 123 different types of licences in NSW and the government is looking to digitise them all.

Of course, digital licences are strictly optional, with physical licence cards remaining available for all licence holders.

The NSW Government first announced the proposal for digital licences in March last year, with the government looking to develop a roadmap for taking all licences digital and working through a range of security and regulatory considerations.

In developing the digital wallet, Perrottet says security has been paramount. To provide citizens with secure access the platform uses multi-tiered security features that are similar to phone banking. Licence data is securely stored in the user’s MyServiceNSW account, housed in the NSW Government’s data centre, GovDC.

While users who choose to carry only a digital version of their licence must ensure their device remains charged and accessible, digital licences can be accessed on another smartphone or tablet by securely signing into the Service NSW App.

To find out more about digital licences, click here.

Image: Dominic Perrottet. Source: South Coast Register.