Australia to Spend $145 Million on ‘Voluntary’ Digital ID

Published on December 4, 2023

The Australian federal government has announced $145.5 million (US$97 million) of taxpayer funds to support the digital ID system. The government claimed digital ID is a “secure, convenient, voluntary, and inclusive” way for Australians to verify their ID online. “Digital ID is not a card, it’s not a unique number, and it’s not a new form of ID,” the government said in a press release. Finance Minister Katy Gallagher introduced legislation for a national digital ID for Australians on Nov. 30, before it was referred to a committee for inquiry. Australia’s digital ID is an online verification system that is advertised online as a “solution” that “makes our lives a whole lot easier” and “our personal info a whole lot safer.”...

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