Keith Wolahan (Menzies, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I move:

That this House:

(2) acknowledges:

(a) the release of the myGov User Audit, which stated that the previous Government's investment in the platform was 'well-crafted and implemented' and 'put in place much needed building blocks for a better myGov';

(b) that there has only been a single gathering of the Data and Digital Ministers' Meeting since the election of this Government;

(c) the previous Government's efforts to progress the implementation of digital identity by introducing the Trusted Digital Identity Bill 2021; and

(d) that the myGov User Audit calls on the Government to 'urgently' legislate on a national identity framework; and

(3) calls on the Government to prioritise digital transformation across Services Australia and national digital identity, making service delivery safer, simpler and more seamless.

I rise to speak on the importance of government services, more than ever, in the digital age, and I say at the outset just how impressed I have been from afar, as a southerner from Victoria, by Victor Dominello, the New South Wales Minister for Customer Service and Digital Government. Whenever he would post about a new way of the people of New South Wales interacting with digital services, people would say, 'Why didn't we think of that before?' Whether it was birth certificates or marriage certificates, his focus was always on customer service—that it was easy and that it made sense. So I just want to congratulate him and his team for leading the way in Australia for the last few years, and I wish him and his family the very best.

Whether it be small business owners, students or retirees, constituents in my electorate and, I'm sure, in many others constantly raise concerns regarding their data and how it is managed, and that's a concern that's raised across the community and in all ages, from individuals and families to small businesses. Recent large-scale cyber incidents affecting Optus and Medibank have only further underlined the importance of maintaining safe and secure digital credentials. That is why the Albanese government must prioritise a secure, more simple and more seamless transition across Services Australia.

The government have confirmed their intention to introduce legislation later this year and expand digital identity. The opposition will consider this legislation when it is available and will consult appropriately with the government, the community and private sectors. When in government—and, again, I and the member for Casey weren't part of it, but we are proud Liberals—this side of the chamber launched a major feature to support Australians in accessing the services and payments they needed, including the following: allowing the use of the myGov login to access agency services directly, introducing two-factor authentication through the myGov code generator, and launching the myGov ID.

Prior to the last election, the coalition government introduced an exposure draft for the Trusted Digital Identity Bill as part of the expansion of Australia's digital ID system. The purpose of this bill was a simple one. It was to enable the private sector and governments to participate in the digital ID system whilst also establishing a new consumer safeguards and government arrangements program. There was extensive public consultation about the legislation, but it wasn't able to be enacted in time.

While the coalition welcomes the release of the myGov user audit, which was published in January, the government has still not provided a formal response to the audit despite that being an election commitment. The chair of the myGov user audit, Mr David Thodey AM, and his fellow panel members are to be congratulated on their work. This is in sharp contrast to the government. The review is a vindication of the coalition's digital-first approach to digital service delivery. The audit makes clear that the previous government invested over $200 million in the enhanced myGov program and put in place much-needed building blocks for a better myGov. Whilst this was vital in getting government services to where they are today, the audit made clear that a sustained long-term investment is now required to improve myGov.

One of the first acts of this government has been to, in effect, abolish the Digital Transformation Agency, which had served as a vehicle to drive digital service delivery under the coalition, and that is disappointing. With around one million logins every day, myGov is indispensable. It is how Australians connect with vital agencies such as Centrelink, the ATO and Medicare. There is an obvious need for government services to become more user friendly, and it shouldn't have to be the case that you need a representative, a family member or—for some—even a lawyer to access digital services.

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