Australia Looks to Biometric IDV in ‘National Strategy for Identity Resilience’

The Australian government has formally announced plans to leverage face-based biometrics for identity verification online. It did so via the publication of a “National Strategy for Identity Resilience”, in which the government also committed to securing the biometric data of citizens who consent to sharing it, and protecting their privacy.

The strategy, developed through close collaboration between the Data and Digital Ministers Meeting, outlines shared principles and practical initiatives to enhance identity security and protection across the country. Recognizing the shared responsibility of protecting and managing identity information, the strategy underscores the need for collaboration between the Commonwealth, states, and territories. It addresses the challenges posed by recent data breaches and cyber-attacks, emphasizing the importance of a unified national effort. To achieve this, the strategy establishes national strategic direction and practical initiatives, fostering ongoing partnerships between the different jurisdictions.

The National Strategy for Identity Resilience sets forth several principles to guide the approach to identity resilience. These include the need for seamless digital ID systems across the Commonwealth, states, and territories to support identity resilience and inclusivity, ensuring that vulnerable cohorts and individuals who prefer non-digital options can access services. The strategy also emphasizes the roles of individuals, industry, and government in achieving identity resilience and calls for consistent high national standards, biometric establishment and verification with consent, streamlined processes for updating information, minimal data collection and retention, clear data-sharing arrangements, and accountability and liability frameworks.

The strategy recognizes that traditional methods of identity verification, such as using biographic attributes (e.g., name, date of birth, and license number), are no longer sufficient to protect against sophisticated identity theft and fraud. Therefore, the strategy emphasizes the use of biometrics as a more robust and secure means of establishing and verifying identity.

The short, medium, and long-term initiatives outlined in the plan aim to build upon existing work and ensure preparedness for the future. These initiatives include updating the National Identity Proofing Guidelines to establish consistent identity proofing standards across the country and implementing cohesive national approaches for responding to identity security aspects of data breaches. The strategy also highlights the importance of education and awareness, the creation of a Credential Protection Register, the use of mobile phone trust scores, reissuing digital credentials through digital wallets, and providing convenient options for individuals to update their information across agencies.

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June 27, 2023 – by The FindBiometrics Editorial Team