Digital Identity Legislation
27 October 2021
ABA reiterates our view that there is significant potential economic benefit in the government’s digital identity initiative for consumers and businesses. The development of both government and private sector digital identity systems is needed to achieve wider adoption, and therefore realise the potential economic benefits of this government policy. That will continue to depend on whether the proposed legislative framework provides clarity, ensures robust privacy safeguards for users, provides flexibility to innovate and incentives to participate, while minimising the potential for conflicting or inconsistent data and privacy obligations for participants.
Download PDFAustralia’s cyber security regulations and incentives
27 August 2021
The ABA sees an important role for government in coordinating messaging and cyber security uplift efforts across stakeholder groups and sectors, and setting clear expectations of what entities should do to protect themselves and their customers. The ABA acknowledges that there is a difficult but important balance to be struck between, on the one hand, economy wide, consistent cyber security regulatory requirements that improve the nation’s cyber risk position and, on the other hand, more specific or targeted measures which need to respond to specific risks and/or levels of risk. Further clarity will also be required for entities that may be indirectly subject to SOCI Act requirements, and for entities that may move in and out of the SOCI Act regime. The ABA seeks further information about the legal form that the governance standards would take and what legal standing (if any) the standards would have. The ABA asks for clarity on the interaction between the proposed standards and other regulatory regimes.
Download PDFUsing technology to hold meetings and sign and send documents
16 July 2021
The ABA supports legislation being technology neutral and facilitating innovation in how companies and businesses engage with shareholders and other stakeholders.
Download PDFDigital Identity Position Paper (Phase 2)
16 July 2021
ABA reiterates our view that there is significant potential economic benefit in the government’s digital identity initiative for consumers and businesses. ABA also reiterates that the ability of a government digital identity system to achieve wider adoption, and therefore realise the potential economic benefits of this government policy, will likely depend on factors such as clarity of legislative framework, flexibility to innovate and incentive to participate, security of protections for data and privacy, and clarity and effectiveness of governance arrangements.
Download PDFInquiry into mobile payment and digital wallet financial services
25 May 2021
While existing inquiries or reform initiatives touch on these policy issues, the issues are not confined to any single legislative framework or the responsibility of any single agency. They need a holistic assessment of potential policy solutions and their impact on consumers and the economy as a whole. A siloed approach may fail to consider the impact of specific recommendations or reforms on the Government’s policy to foster Australia’s digital economy and retain digital talent. As such, the ABA recommends robust coordination on policy and implementation that sees the oversight of mobile payment and digital wallet as a key plank of Australia’s digital economy.
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