NSW govt names digital ID advisory council members

The NSW government has named an 18-member advisory council of experts from across the public sector, industry and academia to advise it on digital identity policy.

The digital identity ministerial advisory council (DIMAC), first announced in May, is expected to guide the state’s “strategic direction and roadmap” for digital identity.

It will do this by helping to ensure privacy and security are enshrined in policy, supporting the “holistic” approach to identity products outlined in government’s digital identity strategy.

Instead of the 10-person committee that had been planned, the government has named 18 individuals, including digital minister Victor Dominello as the chair and police minister David Elliott.

Public sector panellists include NSW government chief information and digital officer Greg Wells and Digital Transformation Agency digital identity general manager Jonathon Thorpe.

There is also a significant private sector contingent, with representatives from the Commonwealth Bank, BPAY Group and Boston Consulting Group also present.

Committee members are:

• Customer service and digital minister Victor Dominello
• Police and emergency services minister David Elliott
• NSW government chief information and digital officer Greg Wells
• NSW Department of Customer Service digital identity program manager Glenn Lewis
• NSW Police strategic priorities and identity executive director Duncan Anderson
• NSW Health epidemiology evidence executive director associate professor Sarah Thackway
• DTA digital identity general manager Jonathon Thorpe
• Employment and Social Development Canada identity management and integrity director general Robert Frelich
• University of Technology Sydney vice chancellor and president professor Atilla Brungs
• IDCARE managing director professor David Lacey
• CBA executive everyday banking executive general manager Kate Crous
• Lockstep Consulting managing director Stephen Wilson
• Information Integrity Solutions founder and former Australian privacy commissioner Malcolm Crompton
• Australia Post head of Digital iD Margo Stephen
• BPAY Group CEO John Banfield
• Australian Payments Network chief strategy officer Victoria Richardson
• Tech entrepreneur Ric Richardson
• BCG managing director and senior partner Miguel Carrasco

Dominello said that the state’s ongoing digital agenda requires that government “surround [itself] with top experts to remain ahead of the game”.

“Being able to prove and trust identity digitally is a key foundation for modern society and drives productivity and innovation,” he said.

He added that privacy would “continue to remain at the forefront of service delivery”, noting that digital products like the digital driver's licence had already improved identity protections.

The council's first meeting will take place on Tuesday.