More than 100,000 Victorians downloaded digital driver’s licences in the first 24 hours of the technology being made available, but a hiccup means RSLs and nightclubs may have to use pen and paper because the IDs do not work at their mandatory scanners.
Victoria’s digital licence scheme launched this week after a trial with more than 15,000 people in Ballarat, allowing more than 4.5 million drivers to keep their accreditation on their phones. It will not be available to people on L plates or P plates until 2025.
While the licences have timed QR codes that can be used to verify authenticity, the technology is incompatible with the scanners used at many RSLs and at some nightclubs to keep problem gamblers or barred patrons away.
Community Clubs Victoria chief executive Andrew Lloyd said he was concerned about reports from members that the scheme’s introduction would be fragmented and it did not work with existing sign-in systems.
“If there is no integration, venues will be forced back to using ‘pen and paper’, which is ridiculous and jeopardises the uptake of the new digital licence scheme,” he said.
“We are committed to working with government agencies to ensure that new technology is implemented seamlessly to support our clubs and the community. However, we can’t do this if projects are designed in a vacuum, with no consultation and understanding of the venue’s operation or customer user experience.
“The Department of Transport seems to have not appreciated the core issues involved in this implementation, which is unfortunate.”
The government says it is working with a small number of businesses that rely solely on physical ID scanning to navigate the change.
“We’ve worked with a number of organisations and businesses to prepare them for the statewide rollout. However, as some businesses adjust to this new form of ID we encourage Victorians to carry their physical licences to avoid any potential issues,” a state government spokesperson said.
More than 100,000 Victorians downloaded digital licences in the first 24 hours of operation, according to government figures.
Roads Minister Melissa Horne said on Tuesday that the scheme would never replace physical cards entirely and encouraged people to keep physical licences with them.
“There are cases where your mobile phone battery might go flat, or your network connectivity may not be great, so having both forms of ID is prudent,” she said.
Horne said the government had also used a process called “red teaming” in which it invited a group of hackers to try to access the system to find security risks.
“They did find some, some quirks in the software, which of course have been ironed out,” she said.
Opposition MP David Hodgett said the government had failed to deliver on its promise of fully integrated digital licences.
“Whilst NSW had this technology five years ago, under Labor Victoria will still be reliant on pen and paper systems in some settings,” he said. “Labor cannot manage money, cannot manage projects and Victorians are paying the price.”
The full rollout has included consultation with police, Australia Post, supermarkets and venues that rely on photo ID. The licences also feature a hologram to prove they are authentic. Changes such as a new address can update immediately.
The Age
