AUSKey is on its way out – are you prepared for what happens next?

AUSKey, the gateway tool that supports many functions of early childhood education and care (ECEC) administration, including the New South Wales-based Early Childhood Contract Management System (ECCMS) and the Federal Department of Education and Training Inclusion Support Programme, will be replaced in March 2020. 

 

The changes will be of interest not only for the day to day functions within an ECEC service, but also for their broader implications for the business functions of approved providers, with AUSKey currently being used for, amongst other things: 

 

• the Australian Business Register (ABR), required to update ABN details; 
• the Australian Financial Security Authority (AFSA), used to track and monitor bankruptcy notices for creditors; 
• the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), which provides a range of services including those in relation to business names, lodging financial reporting documents and other functions related to publicly listed entities;and, 
• the Australian Taxation office (ATO). 

 

The replacement for AUSKey will be twofold, with new authentication and authorisation services, myGovID and Relationship Authorisation Manager (RAM), providing what the ATO terms “a quick, easy and secure way for you to prove who you are when you access selected government online services”. 

 

myGovID is a secure proof of identity app, which aims to replicate a 100 point ID check on a personal device. The myGovID will be used for both personal and business matters. 

 

RAM is an authorisation service that allows individuals to link their myGovID to an Australian business number (ABN) and manage who can act on behalf of their business online.

 

Together, myGovID and RAM will replace AUSkey in March 2020. To support the transition, RAM is now connected to Access Manager. This means when a person is authorised to act for a business using RAM, permissions can be set for ATO online services in Access Manager at the same time.

 

Some eligible businesses have already opted to switch to myGovID and RAM to access the Business Portal, the ATO noted, saying that future enhancements in this space will include:

 

• a streamlined way to connect large numbers of Access Manager permissions to RAM; and, 
• expanding the myGovID app to Android devices.

 

AUSkey will continue to be supported during the transition period, with those using AUSKey advised to take the following steps to prepare for the March 2020 changes:

 

• Check ABN details are up-to-date in the Australian Business Register
• Check ABR details are up-to-date, to ensure the right people can act on behalf of your business.
• If you have an Administrator AUSkey, check if other nominated AUSkey users are still correct.

 

Further information about the changeover is available on the ATO website, here.