A new Government App will let people securely store and share ID details instead of carrying paper documents around Auckland.

That includes families and business owners on the Hibiscus Coast dealing with agencies or banks.

Digitising Government and Public Service Minister Judith Collins has confirmed New Zealand tech company MATTR will build the platform that sits behind the app.

The Department of Internal Affairs will manage it as a shared service for government agencies, including Internal Affairs itself and the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment.

Many common tasks still need in-person visits or certified copies of passports and birth dates.

Collins says “government-accredited digital identity services will allow you to easily present credentials in a way that is safer, trusted and more secure”.

No one will have to use digital identity, but the app is designed for those who want the convenience.

MBIE will be among the first to use the system, issuing New Zealand Business Number digital credentials as part of an early trial.

That will help company directors prove who they are and that they have the authority to act when dealing with both government and private services.

By building one platform for all agencies, the Government expects lower costs, less paperwork and a faster, more consistent experience for people nationwide.

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