A few months after announcing a partnership with the government’s Digital Transformation Agency focused on its Digital iD technology, Australia Post has revealed the first organisations signed on to adopt the identity platform, including Airtasker, credit union CUA, and the Queensland Police Service.
The Digital iD system, which Australia Post has already implemented for a range of its own services, looks to allow users to easily verify their age or identity, for instance when applying for a bank account, proving concession, or accessing government services, without needing multiple forms of identification or remembering various passwords.
With the system working online and in person through a smartphone app, Andrew Walduck, Australia Post’s executive general manager, Trusted eCommerce Services, said Digital iD looks to give people more control over the personal data they share with organisations.
“For example, most people hand over their driver’s licence to prove they can legally go to a bar, but all that is needed is a name and birth date, not that information plus your full residential address,” he said.
Airtasker cofounder and CEO, Tim Fung said the startup signed on as it streamlines a core issue within the sharing economy: the process of building trust between users.
“Verified identity is a huge part of building that trust. Previously, both consumers and service providers had to spend way too much time verifying their identity and what the Digital iD really does is give platforms like Airtasker a simple way to build trust,” he said.
“With quicker verification and better control of their personal information, consumers will have much more confidence to engage with service providers in their local community. Similarly, companies and governments will have greater confidence that they know who they’re doing business with.”
Airtasker had earlier this year partnered with the Commonwealth Bank for user verification purposes, looking to verify the Commonwealth Bank customers among its user base against the bank’s data.
Sue Coulter, chief digital officer at CUA, said the organisation’s work with Australia Post on the platform comes within its focus on being available to its members through its digital channels.
CUA Chief Digital Officer Sue Coulter said it was exciting to be one of the first organisations in Australia to be working with Australia Post on this platform.
“This innovation provides an opportunity to deliver a better member experience for consumers applying for CUA’s digital products and services, while introducing members to a service that could also streamline their interaction with a range of other service providers where identity verification may be required in the future,” she said.
The Queensland Police Service will incorporate the Digital iD system into its national police clearance certificates process, set to launch later this year.
Australia Post announced its partnership with the DTA in May, stating it would work with the organisation to create a proof of concept integrating its Digital iD technology into the government’s Digital Identity Framework, dubbed GovPass.
Post stated at the time that a user would first verify their identity through the system by providing existing ID, such as their passport of driver’s licence, the details of which will not be stored after verification.
Image: Airtasker cofounders Tim Fung and Jonathan Lui. Source: Supplied.
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