The NSW government is leading a cross-jurisdictional project to develop a national digital birth certificate.

The digital document will be opt-in only and will adhere to the highest privacy and security standards, digital and customer service minister Victor Dominello says.

The project team is set to deliver a proof of concept in the second half of the year.

Mr Dominello says NSW is well placed to lead the project as it has already delivered digital products such as the digital drivers licence.

“This is what smart governments do – remove paperwork, save people time and put the customer at the centre,” he said in a statement.

World first

Attorney General Mark Speakman says an Australian digital birth certificate would be a world first.

“Nowhere else in the world provides a holistic digital solution to identity establishment, verification, authentication and management. We’re excited by the prospect of filling this gap,” he said.

He said key priorities for developers is privacy and ensuring any potential solution is accessible to disadvantaged and vulnerable communities.

Consultation is currently underway, with a focus on schools, junior sports, and government agencies. 

“It’s crucial to make any digital birth certificate a highly secure document that is easy to authenticate and protected from fraudsters and criminals,” Mr Speakman said.

Like traditional birth certificates, a digital version would be used for schooling, health, applying for a driver’s licence or bank account and a range of government services.

Consultation is open until May 23.

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