The Australian Government is ending support for the Auskey. Ensure you have MyGov ID ready.
To ensure no interruptions to your Government Online Services, ensure you have switched over to My Gov ID by the end of February 2020.
The Auskey has been the main staple for access to Government Services, such as the Tax Agent Portals and Centrelink Services for quite some time, which in its time, was a relief as the Auskey replaced the Digital Certificate and could at least be installed on a USB key for remote access.
Times have changed though, rapidly, with mobile phones and technology marching ahead, no more than in Fintech World, or financial technology and business markets.
To make full advantage of current technologies and to avail the use of the smartphone that most of us carry, the Government are now moving the Auskey to MyGov ID; a small app that runs on your mobile phone, which is basically a code generator, for logging into Government Services.
But how do I set it up and how does it work? Let’s break it down.
Setup is quite easy. Proceed to your given App Store, whether using Apple or Android, the app will be available to download for free.
Once downloaded, open the App, and you will notice the first thing you have to do is prove your identity by scanning or uploading a range of documents, think of it as a 100 Points ID Check.
You can use your phone to take a photo of or scan, your Drivers Licence, Passport, Medicare Card, etc. This will be uploaded via secure servers and matched against Government held information.
Within a few seconds, the matches should be made, and you will be ready to complete the setup, simply with your email address and your password.
Depending upon your brand of mobile phone, you will be able to set up increased security such as fingerprint scanning or retina scanning, for that extra layer of safety.
How do I login with the app? It doesn’t generate a code?
Unlke other Authenticators, you may have used, such as the popular Google Authenticator, the MyGov ID system asks you to match the code on your phone screen, with the code generated by the Government website you are trying to access.
For example, you try to login to the ATO Portal, select MyGov ID, a code will be generated. Unlock your smartphone, then open the MyGov ID app, and either enter or confirm the code on your phone screen, and voila, you will be logged in to the Portal. As easy as that.
What happens with my Auskey?
The Auskey system will just fail to work anymore, so you will be able to uninstall the Auskey from your computer once you have the MyGov ID system in place.
Do I have to set this up for every computer?
No, this is a one-use for many cases scenario. Hence, once it’s set up on your smartphone or tablet, you don’t need to set it up for each computer.
What if I lose my phone, or buy a new phone? Can I transfer the MyGov ID over to the new device?
Should you lose your phone, or have it replaced, or purchase a new device, don’t worry.
You simply repeat the setup again for each new device, by uploading your ID and having it matched with your email address.
It all sounds too confusing, can you help?
Yes, we are able to assist with setup over the phone or with a brief onsite visit.
Email: support@axisitconsulting.com.au with Subject Line MyGoV ID help for assistance.
