AUSkey retires next month – are you ready for the new MyGovID changes?

From the end of March 2020, AUSkey will be replaced, and MyGovID will become the new and only way for early childhood education and care (ECEC) services to gain access to government business services, including the New South Wales-based Early Childhood Contract Management System (ECCMS) and the Federal Department of Education and Training Inclusion Support Programme.

 

In addition to services and programs that relate to the care and education of children, a number of business functions related to ECEC rely on AUSkey access, including Australian Taxation Office (ATO) portals, Australian Business Number (ABN) updates, and secure access to services such as the Department of Human Services or the Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC). 

 

Since 2015, the Australian Government has been working on a solution to the limitations and challenges AUSkey has faced when seeking to integrate into more advanced business systems. The new solution, MyGovID aims to “address all of AUSkey’s flaws, while offering a more secure and seamless way to access many of the online services that the Government offers Australian businesses”.

 

Essentially the MyGovID system aims to replicate 100 points of ID – via a smartphone app which protects your identity using biometrics (a FaceID or fingerprint). Once the MyGovID app has been downloaded, users upload 100 points of ID and have them verified. From that point onward, when logging in, the app will generate an authentication code that allows you to access the service you need. 

 

One of the limitations of AUSkey at ECEC service level is the system being unable to provide a password reset functionality, forcing users to re-register when a password is forgotten – something that is challenging when email addresses also cannot be reused. MyGovID will address some of these limitations, allowing others to access the services required on behalf of the ECEC service, through a Relationship Authorisation Management (RAM) system. 

The RAM allows business owners to authorise others to access various government services on their behalf and allows them to manage the level of access that has been authorised as well.

 

For example, an ECEC service can authorise a financial controller to have full access to the business in the ATO portal, and limited access for an accountant. It is also possible to block those professionals from seeing any other Government services that are not relevant to their work, protecting the privacy of children, families and employees. 

 

For employees or service providers to get this authorisation, they need their own MyGovID, which they will use to access the service. 

 

MYOB produced a primer containing information about the transition, containing a list of some of the key services that will be impacted as of March 2020, which may affect ECEC:

 

• ATO: Single Touch Payroll, lodging tax returns and other online tax functions
• Australian Business Register (ABR): Updating the business’ ABN details
• Department of Human Services – Centrelink Services: Lodging Paid Parental forms online

 

The full list of services that will only be accessible through the MyGovID app can be found here.

 

Next steps

• Ensure service details are up to date with the Australian Business Registry 
• Download the MyGovID app onto iOS or Android device
• Create a MyGovID by uploading and verifying you 100 points of ID
• Link your ABN and MyGovID through the RAM website 
• Authorise users on the RAM website.

 

For more information about the transition from AUSkey to MyGovID, please see here.