Australians can now sign statutory declarations online using the country’s digital ID system, eliminating the need to visit a Justice of the Peace in person.
The remote signing system operates with the help of myGovID, which can be used to verify the identities of signatories without the need for a witness. As InnovationAus.com reports, signatories will need to hold either a “Standard” or “Identity Proofing Level 2/2+” digital ID, depending on the type of document to be signed.
The “Standard” (or “Level 2”) digital ID entails the verification of two official identity documents, such as driver’s license and passport. “Level 2/2+” is an enhanced version of the Standard level that requires additional verifications, such as a face scan that can match the user to their physical ID.
Digital statutory declarations that are signed online can be downloaded, and are essentially stamped with a QR code that can be used to validate their authenticity.
The official launch of this online signing system comes a few months after the passage of legislation that gave it its legal basis—the Statutory Declarations Amendment Bill. Meanwhile, the Australian parliament is currently negotiating a related Digital ID Bill that will lay the groundwork for a planned national digital ID system.
Authorities in Australia’s Department of Finance have set a tentative launch date of July 1 for the digital ID system, and have been considering public comment on the legislation. Similar to the myGovID levels of identity validation, the planned national digital ID is expected to incorporate a few different levels of security, with the highest requiring the use of selfie-based identity verification via facial recognition.
Last summer, the responsibility for the digital ID initiative was transferred to the Department of Finance from the Digital Transformation Agency, following the government’s unveiling of a “National Strategy for Identity Resilience.” The Strategy highlighted the critical role of digital identity and biometrics within Australia’s digital framework.
Source: InnovationAus.com
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February 12, 2024 – by Alex Perala
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