Never before, across Federal and State Government jurisdictions, has the digital transformation of services to citizens, been so high on the agenda. The government has a digital future, where technology advancements play an important role in enabling new and more enhanced experiences for citizens.

Considering the key growth and change priorities for many government agencies and ministerial portfolios, and the recovery agenda from the current health pandemic and economic crisis, the customer (us) is likely to be the great beneficiary. Consider this:

• Easier access to citizen services through continually refined user interfaces across the web and mobile
• Simplifying the identity verification process to receive government services without compromising on security, speed or ease of use
• Smarter cities and smart transport through sensors and big data analysis enabling safer, more efficient ease of travel mobility for all of the community;
• Data analytics improving the efficiency and effectiveness of government programmes and systems, working closely with the enterprise community to achieve productivity growth;
• Safer and more connected communities through contactless, touchless and highly reliable access systems, using facial recognition, people density or other biometric technologies integrated into traffic, public transport and city parking management systems;
• Improved digital communications networks through 5G technology enhancements where data flows faster, in greater volumes, more effectively and utilised more efficiently by users or systems;
• Data portability that allows frictionless but highly accurate health access and analytics; and
• Effective cybersecurity systems to protect unwanted data access or corruption

The NSW Government is a global leader and redesigning improved digital services for communities and driving a digital transformation agenda to provide digital government services to citizens (their customer). With record funding in digital infrastructure, contemporary delivery of government services will make life easier for people in the state.

NSW Government agencies are already seeing technology advancement benefit the end-user – Digital Drivers Licence, Energy Switch (an online comparison tool for NSW household electricity providers) and Park’nPay (a mobile app to pay for parking from your phone) are sparking a true digital revolution, the envy of many from around the world.

As of December 2020, two million people have downloaded a Digital Driver License, representing over a third of all license holders. The digital licence is now accepted by police across all state jurisdictions in Australia. Continued investment in cybersecurity capability is a simple example of where the utilisation of digital services and future digital development will take the user experience to a new level.

This type of transformation doesn’t come with its challenges – any change agenda of this magnitude alters the game, particularly when considering the services a citizen might fully utilise in the future. NEC is well poised to partner with governments and enterprise, with world-leading digital identification and infrastructure technology.