Government will make digital ID voluntary

The government has accepted coalition and Greens calls for its digital ID to be made explicitly voluntary, with finance minister Katy Gallagher announcing amendments to the digital ID bill that will be brought to the senate this week.

The voluntary requirement was proposed earlier this month in dissenting reports to the senate committee examining the bill.

Gallagher said an amendment will confirm this, and provide assurance that government will support other “easy to use” ID verifications to access services.

Those who do not want a digital ID would also not be disadvantaged.

As a privacy protection, Gallagher said, people who deactivate their digital IDs will be protected from having them reactivated without their knowledge.

Gallagher said the deactivation protection will mean “if a person chooses to deactivate their digital ID, it cannot be used or reactivated without their consent”.

Data retention is another key amendment, which will “further restrict the ability of digital ID service providers to retain personal information after it is no longer needed.”

The Australian Information Commissioner will regulate data destruction requirements for Australian Government Digital ID System (AGDIS) service providers.

Law enforcement agencies will have to be transparent in attempts to access personal information held by digital ID providers, Gallagher said: “Law enforcement agencies and bodies that access, or seek to access, personal information must report annually to the Attorney General and the Attorney General must report to parliament.”

Finally, the legislation will stipulate a phased rollout, to guarantee that the system will be expanded to private sector entrants within two years of the commencement of the Act.