15 February 2024

Commonwealth Statutory Declarations go digital with myGov

| Andrew McLaughlin
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myGov app

The list of Government services available on myGov continues to expand with the availability of digital Commonwealth statutory declarations. Image: myGov.

The days of running around town trying to find a Justice of the Peace to witness a Commonwealth statutory declaration may soon be over if a new government plan to be able to complete the legal documents online is successfully realised.

Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus announced on 12 February that Australians can now create a Commonwealth statutory declaration in a new digital process in their myGov app without requiring an approved witness by using their Australian Government Digital ID to verify the identification of the person making the declaration.

The move to myGov statutory declarations has been enabled by changes that came into effect on 1 January that gave Australians more choice in how they create these legal documents.

The changes will allow Australians to complete a Commonwealth statutory declaration in three valid and legally effective forms: through the myGov platform and myGov ID Digital ID, digitally using electronic signatures and video-link witnessing, or through the traditional paper-based method.

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The government says digital statutory declarations could save more than $156 million each year, hundreds of thousands of hours, simplify government services and be a productivity winner for the private sector.

It says Australians spend an estimated 9 million hours each year executing and processing more than 3.8 million strictly paper-based statutory declarations, which were required to be witnessed in person and signed in ink.

Now, the myGov app will step people through the process of using their Digital ID to verify who they are to create and electronically sign their digital statutory declaration which, when completed, is downloaded for printing or sharing.

The digital declarations will also include a unique QR code that can be scanned using the myGov app, allowing organisations to check the authenticity of a document they’ve received.

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The process will require a person to sign into myGov and press Continue with Digital Identity. After entering your email address, you will be given a four-digit code, which you will use with your password, fingerprint or face to log into the myGovID app.

After entering the usual address, occupation, email and/or phone number, it will ask you to enter the declaration with each paragraph numbered and written in the first person.

After that, you review, sign, tick a couple of checkboxes, and save it as a PDF for printing or sending. The location where the declaration is being made is also included.

More information on Commonwealth Statutory Declarations can be found at https://www.ag.gov.au/legal-system/statutory-declarations. Information on how to create a digital stat dec in myGov is available at www.my.gov.au/statdec.

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Wow – what a bunch of negative feedback. The paper system is still available, so use that if you are not happy with the digital option.

I know that finding someone to sign a Stat Dec can be very time-consuming and frustrating – so I am very happy with this development.

“Wow – what a bunch of negative feedback.”

Welcome to the Riotact.

HiddenDragon8:03 pm 18 Feb 24

“After entering your email address, you will be given a four-digit code, which you will use with your password, fingerprint or face to log into the myGovID app”

Sounds so easy, until you wake up one day and discover you’re an unperson unless you’re willing and able to provide a digital ID in order to do hitherto seemingly simple and innocuous things – slowly, slowly, catchee monkey.

Capital Retro1:12 pm 18 Feb 24

Maybe the reason it is hard to find a JP these days is many have retired and their places aren’t being refilled.

Probably the reason is no one want’s the “honour” anymore as the ACT Government charge a substantial fee for applicants to take a CIT course first and JPs are then expected to provide their service to the community for free.

I became a JP in NSW in 1967. All I had to do was contact a NSW MP, give him my personal details and a month later the certificate with a “do’s and don’ts” booklet would arrive in the mail. I had to relinquish the honorary position when I moved to the ACT.

ACT is really a progressive place.

CR says “What could possibly go wrong?”. Plenty, given the government’s previous attempts to go digital. Some won’t be able to use it; others will get 90% through and then no further; and of course, security will always be an issue. Just another honeypot for lowlifes, and then the hapless users will get the blame.

100% chance this application will fail for many users, just as other government apps have done. Mandata comes to mind, and many others since then, including many iterations of myGov itself.

“A federal judge has ruled that Canada’s use of emergency powers to end the anti-government Freedom Convoy protests two years ago was “unreasonable” and unjustified.

In a decision on Tuesday, Judge Richard Mosley also said it violated Canada’s rights charter.”

What did they do? they froze the assets of the individuals because they didn’t agree with what the government was doing and they protested, making those involved and those connected with them the enemy of the state.

Its no longer a hypothetical, do you trust this government and everyone after it until you’re dead?

Government ID’s should have protections in from abuse. If someone steals your ID you can’t change your face or fingerprints. You shouldn’t be forced to use those.

How did they prevent the opus breach or similar events…

What a great idea to have the opportunity to complete a stat dec via MyGov. What we really need is to be able to vote in Federal and State elections via MyGov.

Capital Retro11:31 am 17 Feb 24

It would curtail the “vote early and vote often” frauds.

Capital Retro8:09 am 16 Feb 24

What could possibly go wrong?

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