A bill to introduce a digital ID is making its way through the Australian Parliament to better protect government-based identities and stem the flow of consumer data from insecure vaults. Bank-based digital identity verifications systems are already operating and international companies are, with government blessings, setting up shop in the country. 

But the true question will be can anyone convince sceptical Australians that this isn’t the much-feared “national ID”? And will ideas like singling out First Nations people to link their Aboriginality to this ID just allow the same conservatives who tried to torch digital health records do the same with this? 

We interview Endava consultant and payments expert David Marsh and ConnectID managing director Andrew Black about the future design of an Australian digital identity system, why interoperability is needed for this not to be a failure, and what is required to convince Australians that this is not the Orwellian dystopia they fear. 

Produced by Rachel Williamson and Charis Palmer, with sound engineering by Kevin Hirshorn. Music credits to Raz Burg and BalloonPlanet.