Govt seeks input on digital ID expansion plans – Strategy – Security

The federal federal government has presented the most comprehensive look at prepared legislation for the enlargement of its federated electronic identity scheme to state and territory governments and the personal sector to day.

The Electronic Transformation Agency on Thursday released a position paper [pdf] for consultation ahead of the prepared introduction of the legislation, dubbed the ‘Trusted Electronic Identity Bill’, to parliament in “late 2021”.

It follows a 1st round of general public consultation last year on the enhancement of bill, which will enshrine governance and privacy protections, including some individuals within just the trustworthy electronic identity framework (TDIF), in law.

The legislation is essential for state and territory governments, as well as the personal sector, to apply for accreditation. Only the Australian Taxation Office’s myGovID credential and Australia Post’s Electronic iD credential are at this time accredited underneath TDIF.

It is anticipated to “include subject matter matter that will not want to frequently change to continue to keep speed with specialized developments”, with other regulations and other published pointers and polices to “outline specialized information and requirements detailing how the system operates”.

The paper reveals couple variations to the scheme’s prepared full-of-financial state enlargement considering that the 1st consultation, with privacy and buyer safeguards and designs for an independent Oversight Authority – which will think the DTA’s interim job – the identical.

Although the DTA is even now “considering which company is greatest suited to present team to the Oversight Authority”, it has advised either Treasury, the Australian Competitors and Buyer Fee or the Office of Primary Minister and Cupboard.

The prepared accreditation of federal government businesses and personal sector companies also remains largely the identical, by way of the DTA appears to have included a 2nd tier for individuals wanting TDIF accreditation but not wanting – or prepared – to participate in the system.

These entities, dubbed ‘TDIF providers’, will want to fulfill the identical privacy criteria as ‘accredited providers’, while will not be subject matter to the liability and redress framework, charging and most civil penalties.

“This usually means federal government bodies or firms which pick out to be TDIF-accredited for roles they conduct in their possess electronic identity programs can rely on TDIF accreditation to build have faith in in their programs with out becoming subject matter to the entirety of the legislation,” the paper states.

Just one crucial change to the proposed legislation is a prepared ‘interoperability principle’ that will demand “participants producing, transmitting, controlling, utilizing or re-utilizing electronic identities to present a seamless user practical experience with the electronic identity system”.

Less than the basic principle, identity providers will be “expected to present their expert services to any relying party”, though relying get-togethers will want to “provide their consumers with a choice of identity providers”.

The Oversight Authority is anticipated, having said that, to supply exemptions to identity providers and relying get-togethers in “limited circumstances” this kind of as when there are “legitimate safety issues warranting an identity service provider not to be utilised by a relying party”.

The position paper also clarifies that contributors will not be prohibited from “connecting to and participating in other electronic identity systems” following some personal sector stakeholders raised issues during the 1st round of consultation.

But contributors that pick out to do so will want “put in spot specialized and enterprise solutions” that “clearly delineate which electronic identity things to do are done by way of the electronic identity system and by way of a further electronic identity system”, for occasion.

On the privacy front, state and territory federal government businesses participating in the scheme “will now have increased capability to adhere to area privacy legislation in its place of federal privacy law, the place legislation exists in their jurisdiction”.

“This change is created to present increased adaptability and autonomy for state and territory businesses to align with other federal legislation and make it less difficult for state and territory federal government entities to participate,” the paper states.

Point out and territory federal government businesses not subject matter to the Privacy Act or a similar notifiable facts breaches scheme will also be demanded to present a assertion to the Oversight Authority if a suspected facts breach has occurred.

Other extra privacy regulations have also been included, including “more adaptability for the Oversight Authority to make extra regulations about profiling and trying to keep biometric information, and new prohibitions on each speculative and behavioural profiling”.

The legislation is also anticipated to assure electronic identity remains voluntary for people, while there will be conditions the place a relying social gathering can apply for an exemption “to the requirement of delivering an substitute channel to electronic identity to entry their service”.

Other crucial options of the electronic identity system will also be embedded in the legislation, including a requirement that “identity providers and credential service providers… delete biometric information when the goal for which it was presented is completed”.

The position paper aspects no variations to designs to introduce a charging model to “retrospectively recover the expense of the layout and build of the preliminary system”, in spite of opposition from some state governments and sector groups.

The federal government will not charge “users for the use of electronic identity”, while the legislation is not anticipated to “regulate costs billed by relying get-togethers to an specific wanting to entry its service(s) utilizing the system”.

Submission to the consultation will close on July 15.