Efforts to integrate and share credentials between the Services Australia and Service NSW digital wallets have stalled, with no clear indication of when the work might resume. The pilot project aimed to enable the Services NSW app to carry digital Medicare cards and allow myGov users to add their NSW digital driver’s license to the myGov digital wallet. However, the project had not progressed beyond the discussion phase.
Charles McHardie, Chief Information and Digital Officer of Services Australia, revealed that some initial work and discussions took place between Services Australia and Service NSW on credential sharing. However, a change in the government in New South Wales (NSW) led to Service NSW reevaluating its path forward. While both agencies are still in contact, there is no clear timeline for resuming these activities.
According to McHardie, no specific funding had been allocated for this project from Services Australia’s end. The myGov mobile app, launched at the end of the previous year, was designed to accommodate credential-sharing arrangements, whether with NSW or other states or territories.
The project’s pause underscores the challenges in coordinating digital credential sharing across government agencies, especially when political changes lead to shifts in priorities and strategies.