Australia to rebrand myGovID following audit recommendation

An Australian digital ID app (myGovID) which allows users to access digital government services on the myGov platform is set to get a different corporate identity after an audit suggested users often get confused between the two.

The government, according to InnovationAus (subscription needed), has set aside AU$11.5 million (approximately US$7.7 million) for the rebrand in the next two years, and part of the funds will also be used to add new security features to the myGov platform.

MyGovID is a service introduced in 2019 to facilitate access to government services. In 2020, it became a sign-in credential on the myGov digital government platform, allowing users to sign in without passwords.

Contained in the Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook (MYEFO) update, the allocation has also been earmarked by the Australian Taxation Office for other related services.

A former chair of the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO), David Thodey, led the audit, which evoked concerns from users about confusion between the myGovID service and the myGov platform.

The audit recommends either a merger of the front-end service of myGovID and myGov into one app, or a complete rebrand of myGovID in order to make users clearly identify that it is a different service, the outlet explains.

MyGovID was introduced as part of Australia’s digital ID ecosystem program and funding for it is part of a $145.5 million (US$97.6 million) allocation for the digital ID project, according to InnovationAus.

Security enhancements for myGov, the publication notes, is to protect users against cyberattacks, and there are plans to also introduce a biometrics-based system for accessing the government service platform next year.

The government says it will continue to its work aimed at improving on the myGov platform and will take recommendations of the user experience audit pretty seriously.

This development comes as the Australian parliament recently approved the ID Verification Services Bill which provides vital safeguards for ID verification and the use of face biometrics for the same.

Article Topics

Australia  |  digital government  |  digital ID  |  myGovID