16 News

Digital identity will make it easier for people to prove who they are when using government services online.
The Trusted Digital Identity Framework sets out the rules and standards which must be followed by every organisation providing digital identity services.
This includes government agencies such as the Australian Taxation Office, which will operate the myGovID identity provider, the Department of Human Services, which operate the identity exchange, as well as any private sector suppliers who join the program later on.
Protection of privacy has been a key consideration at all points during the development of the program, from the first policy documents to the technology we are testing with real people and businesses.
The framework builds on, and has requirements as least as strong as the:

• Australian Privacy Principles and the Privacy Code
• Information Security Registered Assessors Program
• Australian Government Protective Security Policy Framework and Information Security Manual
• Australian Signals Directorate’s Essential 8 cyber security mitigations

It also requires participants to undertake independent security testing and assessments.

Privacy Impact Assessments (PIAs)

Another way we are making sure digital identities are safe, secure and protect the privacy of their users is through independent assessments of the framework.
We have commissioned a multi-phase PIA process to help identify, assess and minimise privacy risks in the framework.
PIAs are an important step in the protection of privacy for projects that involve the handling of personal information.
These assessments provide an opportunity to make sure projects follow privacy laws and also help to identify potential impacts and mitigations that will address the expectations of the community.
Every part of the digital identity system will undergo its own PIA including myGovID and the identity exchange.

First assessment

We commissioned an independent privacy company to run a multi-phase PIA process, involving engagements with privacy commissioners, consumer groups and privacy advocates.
The initial PIA focused on the overall concept and design of the framework and made 23 recommendations.
We published the PIA and responded to its recommendations in May 2017.

Second assessment

Today we’re releasing the second PIA along with our responses to its recommendations.
This assessment focused on strengthening the privacy requirements of the framework, ensuring data quality and making sure users have a consistent experience.
A summary of the recommendations of the second PIA and our responses are included below.
The TDIF’s privacy requirements should be mandated
We agree that the TDIF could be strengthened through legal backing and we’re looking into this.
The identity exchange should only keep metadata for a short period of time
The identity exchange needs to keep metadata related to transactions:

• to allow people to use the system
• for evidence in investigations of complaints and fraud

We agree that there needs to be a time limit on how long metadata is kept for evidence in investigations of complaints and fraud. We’re looking into use cases to work out what a reasonable time limit should be.
The identity exchange and identity providers need to develop their own privacy policies
We agree and we will make this a requirement in the next iteration of the TDIF’s privacy requirements.
The TDIF’s restrictions on the use of biometrics should be mandated
We agree that the TDIF could be strengthened through legal backing and we’re looking into this.
The TDIF should outline a time period for the validity and renewal of identity credentials
We agree and we will include a time period in a future iteration of the TDIF’s proofing requirements.
Complaints should be responded to within 30 days
We agree that this would help to ensure a consistent experience for our users.
A committee of key stakeholder representatives should be able to participate in the development and implementation of the TDIF
We’ve consulted across privacy and community groups in the development of the TDIF and will be releasing the next part of the framework for consultation soon. We will make sure these groups are represented in the oversight of the TDIF.
The TDIF should be reviewed after 3 years
We’re planning to review the TDIF within 2 years after the first public beta service – issuing a tax file number using myGovID.

Moving forward

The governance and legal framework which supports digital identity will always include strong privacy protections embedded in robust rules or legislation.
Before they can join the identity federation, all identity service providers must complete their own PIAs and prove they are meeting privacy requirements.
As the digital identity pilot programs roll out, our user research continues. As part of that, we are focusing on how we can make it easier for users to understand how their identity information is used and make informed decision about how their information is used, and how we can improve privacy notices to make them more informative and effective.

The Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA) today released today which shows that over the last five years, employer action is improving workplace gender equality. The Agency’s Director, Libby Lyons, is launching the 2017-18 WGEA data at the National Press Club in Canberra today.
The WGEA data records a steady increase in the number of women in management roles and strong growth in employer action in areas such as overall gender equality policies and strategies, pay equity and flexible work.
The gender pay gap has declined every year and this year has seen the biggest single-year drop (down 1.1pp) in the average full-time total remuneration gender pay gap.
However, the data confirms that we still have a long way to go. There are pay gaps favouring men in every industry and occupation and women earn, on average, just 79% of men’s full-time total remuneration salaries.
The five-year data trends also show virtually no movement in gender segregation across Australian industries and little improvement in either access to paid parental leave or the representation of women at CEO level or on boards.
Ms Lyons said the Agency’s dataset shows that employer action has delivered real outcomes but that women still face considerable barriers in Australia’s workplaces.
“The five years of data collection demonstrates the value of measuring workplace gender equality. We have clear evidence that employer action delivers real results and we should recognise the great work many employers have done in addressing issues such as pay equity. As employers have taken action, the gender pay gap has declined and gender equality outcomes for women and men across Australia have improved.
“Another positive result is that women have increased their presence in management over the past five years. Women now comprise almost 40% of the managers in our dataset and almost a third of key management personnel, which is just under the CEO level, are now women.
“However, our data also highlights areas for improvement. Although the gender pay gap has narrowed every year, progress is too slow. Access to parental leave has not improved, with the provision of paid primary carer’s leave actually going backwards. The glass walls persist in industry segregation, which remains deeply entrenched in Australia. The glass ceiling is still a barrier for women at the CEO and board levels.
“The first five years of data shows where we are seeing positive change and where we need to make more effort. We now need even more employers to take action so that we can accelerate the momentum for gender equality in Australian workplaces,” said Ms Lyons.

A Shorten Labor Government will reverse Scott Morrison’s $323,000 cut to Foodbank.
Foodbank is a food relief organisation that puts food on the table for hundreds of thousands of Australians in need – many of them children.
The organisation provides 67 million meals a year to charities across the country, as well as more than 1,750 schools. They are Australia’s largest food provider to schools for breakfast programs.
Foodbank does an extraordinary job partnering with the food and grocery industry to recover excess or unsaleable products that can be delivered to Australians in need. They work hard to distribute food and groceries with a value of more than $200 million.
They do not need much support from government, nor do they ask for much.
However, they rely on a relatively small amount of funding from the federal government to ensure there are no gaps in their supply of essential food items each day.
The Liberals’ cut puts Foodbank’s Key Staples Program at risk, which helps provide more than $8 million worth of essential food items for Australians.
This cut comes just six weeks from Christmas, and will be delivered during the holiday period – a difficult time for many vulnerable families.
The Government’s cut will have a major impact on Foodbank’s supplies, and risks compromising their ability to distribute emergency food relief during natural disasters.
It could mean that charities have to cut the number of meals they provide each day, vulnerable families miss out on groceries they rely on, and kids miss out on breakfast at school.
This is all about priorities. The Liberals care more about a tax giveaway to the big banks than helping Australians in need.
Labor urges Scott Morrison to acknowledge his government has made a big mistake and reverse this decision. This is not an issue to be stubborn and arrogant about.
If Mr Morrison refuses to reverse his cut, a Shorten Labor Government will.
Labor will make sure our charities have the resources they need to support our fellow Australians, especially children.

More Paralympic athletes will be given the opportunity to train at Essendon Football Club’s world-class home base, The Hangar, with a Shorten Labor Government to invest $4 million to support the expansion of disability sport programs.
The Essendon Football Club has established a successful partnership with the Australian Paralympic Committee (APC), enabling Paralympic athletes to use the facilities throughout the year.
Labor’s investment will strengthen this partnership with the construction of wheelchair-accessible dormitory accommodation, improving access to facilities at The Hangar for athletes with disabilities, reducing APC program operating costs and providing new opportunities for disability sport participation, and talent identification activities.
The accommodation will support national wheelchair basketball, rugby and table tennis programs and also enable national camps for summer Paralympic sports including football, volleyball, boccia, goalball.
More than 160 additional para-sport athletes will be able to participate and the dormitories will also support multi-sport Para talent development and wheelchair Aussie rules camps.
This investment supports Essendon’s expansion of The Hangar, with new and enhanced facilities and a dedicated space for the APC Sport Hall of Fame to showcase the history of the Paralympic movement in Australia.
This builds on Labor’s record of supporting Paralympians and disability sport access.
In Government, Labor invested $6 million in the ground-breaking partnership between Essendon and the APC, which has seen the club provide the APC with administration, training and recovery facilities at no charge.
This partnership has enabled the APC and partner para-sports to deliver more funding directly to programs supporting Australia’s elite and aspiring athletes with disabilities.
Labor has today committed to invest in further strengthening that partnership, to improve and increase the resources available to Australia’s para-athletes.
Labor’s investment will mean current and future generations of para-sport athletes have access to the world-class facilities and support that matches their world-class talent.