"We also got a strong message from the consultation that people want the authentication process handled by an appropriate government agency, rather than a private sector organisation.
"People have taken to Internet banking and tell us they want the same kind of convenience and security for the increasing range of government services that are available online," he said.
The e-government unit of the State Services Commission will work closely with government agencies to ensure they can implement online authentication in a way that people can use it and still feel protected.
More government services are being brought online all the time. More than a third of all government services require authentication and online authentication will be needed for them to be delivered through the Internet.
Mr Mallard's office sent out a fact sheet which showed that 71% of people recently surveyed said they had used the Internet in the last month, the highest percentage of Internet use among the 31 countries surveyed. Forty percent said they had accessed government services online in the previous year, compared with a global average of 30%.
The minister said the authentication system could be implemented without the need for an id card or a digital certificate, which might quell some of the earlier concerns from consumer groups
However, the system will not replace the customer numbers used now by Inland Revenue and in the health service.
Quelle: Otago Daily Times
