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Dr Scott Farrell has been appointed by the Albanese government to become the chair of the Digital ID and the Consumer Data Right for the next two years.
A leading figure in the digital standards landscape, Farrell brings expertise from his work on the Reserve Bank of Australia’s Payment System Board and experience in developing blockchain and distributed ledger technology standards for the International Organisation for Standardisation.
He has also chaired the federal government’s FinTech Advisory Group; has been a member of the Ministerial Advisory Council on Free Trade Agreement negotiations; and has served on the government’s advisory board for innovation, research, and science matters.
He holds a PhD in common law open banking frameworks and has led major government reviews, including the Open Banking Review, the Inquiry into Future Directions of the CDR, and the Review of the Australian Payments System.
He started in his new role on 10 December.
The main purpose of the Data Standards Chair is to oversee the data standards that underpin Australia’s Digital ID system and Consumer Data Right (CDR) framework, as well as establish committees, advisory panels, and groups for the establishment of further standards.
In his new role, Farrell will be tasked with strengthening data standards, unlocking high-value cases, and reducing compliance costs.
He takes over from Dr Ian Oppermann, who has become a full-time commissioner for the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC).
What is Digital ID and the CDR?
As two separate systems, Digital ID and CDR intend to give people more control, security, and convenience in the digital economy.
Digital ID is a means for individuals to verify their identity online with government and businesses, without having to repeatedly share sensitive documents, such as their passport, birth certificate, and driver’s licence. Over 15 million Digital IDs have been created since the Australian government set up the ID provider – myID – to access 246 online government services since December 2023.
CDR allows individuals and businesses to share their financial data held by businesses. By consenting for it to be shared with accredited third parties – such as mortgage brokers (under the trusted adviser model) – they can efficiently access specific goods and services, such as loans.
Speaking of the appointment, Minister for Finance Katy Gallagher and Assistant Treasurer Daniel Mulino MP said that Farrell would “continue to support the safety of Australians’ data and ensure that Digital ID and CDR data standards remained at the forefront of the underpinning technology and best practice.”
[Related: CBA pays record fine for CDR rules breach]