Service NSW Chief Executive Officer Damon Rees said the technology was the next step in the NSW Government’s Digital Identity journey and would open new possibilities for online government services with improved safety and security.
“Photo verification will enable millions of customers to complete government transactions anywhere, anytime or authenticate themselves using a photo verification login,” Mr Rees said.
“This will provide customers with greater accessibility to government services, especially customers with a disability, time poor customers and those in rural or regional areas, who are unable to or experience difficulty attending Service NSW centres.
“We’re now engaging with industry to find the best way to implement this technology safely and securely.”
Strong privacy and security measures will be built into services to ensure customer information was kept safe. The photo verification technology will be explored through pilot programs to make sure the service is rigorously tested before progressing.
Any use of photo verification will be entirely optional for customers. Not only will customers be required to opt-in, but ongoing consent will also be required from the customer, meaning they will be able to opt-out at any time.
Customers will be able to control what information they choose to share, and an in-person option will always be provided via Service NSW centres.
The technology will match a photo the customer takes of themselves with a reference photo, like a driver’s licence. As soon as the images are successfully matched, the selfie and any verification data will be instantly and safely destroyed.
The NSW Government has allocated $2.1 billion to invest in digital transformation projects through its Digital Restart Fund. The fund is administered by the Department of Customer Service. It targets smart, simple technology solutions which create efficiencies for customers and businesses across the state.
