New director ID regime reaches nearly 200k applications
The new director identification number (DIN) regime has almost reached 200,000 successful applications since its implementation on 1 November.
Since 1 November 2021, eligible company directors and SMSFs have been able to use their myGovID to apply for their director identification number (or director ID).
So far, over 185,000 directors have successfully applied for a director ID, and 95 per cent of those did so online using their myGovID.
The Morrison government’s Digital Identity System has also reached a new milestone, with more than 6 million Australians now choosing to use myGovID to access online services safely, securely and conveniently.
Minister for Employment, Workforce, Skills, Small and Family Business Stuart Robert said that the Digital Identity System enables Australians to easily interact with government services online in a secure and convenient way.
“Australians have transformed the way they go about our daily lives, using the internet to do shopping to banking to accessing government services, so it is not unexpected Australians are seeking a safe, secure and convenient way to prove their identity online, and myGovID is doing just that,” Mr Robert said.
“Australians are embracing Digital Identity as a better way to access government services. More opportunities for people to re-use their myGovID Digital Identity are becoming available online, such as applying for a tax file number, an online customer reference number as well as a unique student identifier.”
Minister for Superannuation, Financial Services and the Digital Economy Jane Hume said Australians want control over their identity information and how it’s used by the companies and services they share it with, and a Digital Identity backed by the Australian government helps make that easier.
“Secure, easy to use and trusted identification is key to the growth of the digital economy. As more and more activity is online and digital, security and ease is vital. Government must keep pace,” Ms Hume said.
“We know how important factors like control over personal information, privacy and security are for Australians. The system has been developed with strict measures so Australians can trust that their details are securely encrypted and are protected by privacy protocols.
“This is about going digital‑first, and we’re making sure the system is built around Australians’ needs from the very start.”
The Australian government Digital Identity System and having a Digital Identity is entirely voluntary. Australians can choose whether to use Digital Identity or not. Over 6 million people, including 1.3 million businesses, have chosen to use myGovID Digital Identity and are already seeing the benefits that it provides with access to over 80 government services online.
For more information about the Australian government Digital Identity System, visit the Digital Identity website.
Tony Zhang
Tony Zhang is a journalist at Accountants Daily, which is the leading source of news, strategy and educational content for professionals working in the accounting sector.
Since joining the Momentum Media team in 2020, Tony has written for a range of its publications including Lawyers Weekly, Adviser Innovation, ifa and SMSF Adviser. He has been full-time on Accountants Daily since September 2021.