Identity Management

The Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) contributes to a whole-of-government approach to managing identity and preventing identity fraud by:

• establishing the identity of persons applying for entry to Australia or for other immigration related services or citizenship
• verifying identity at the border
• establishing a consistent foundation identity for non-citizens to use in the Australian community, from initial contact through to when they become Australian citizens.

Identity management is an integral component of the DIAC's border control strategy. DIAC's role is to maintain and enhance the integrity of Australia's immigration and citizenship programs by maximising our ability to identify and exclude those people who represent a threat to Australia or to the integrity of our programs.

The growth of globalised technology, trade and international travel has created new opportunities for the evasion of our controls (such as people smuggling). However, global technological advancements have also provided DIAC with a basis for combating malpractice and improving integrity through the use of innovative and more effective strategies. Biometrics technology forms a key component of the DIAC's identity management strategy.

DIAC's Strategic Plan for Identity Management

Identity Branch is the owner of DIAC's Strategic Plan for Identity Management 2007 – 2010 ‘Identity Matters’ which represents a statement of the vision for the management of client identity as an integrated DIAC business function.

‘Identity Matters’ articulates the business need for:

• identity management
• the external and internal operating environment
• business impacts and potential benefits for the Australian Government and society
• business ownership
• governance arrangements and key elements of the identity management strategy.

‘Identity Matters’ focuses on the prevention and reduction of identity fraud within DIAC programmes.
See:
Identity Matters – Strategic Plan for Identity Management in DIAC 2007 – 2010 – Part 1 (336KB PDF file)
Identity Matters – Strategic Plan for Identity Management in DIAC 2007 – 2010 – Part 2 (331KB PDF file)
Identity Matters – Strategic Plan for Identity Management in DIAC 2007 – 2010 – Part 3 (166KB PDF file)

Identity Branch is currently in the process of updating DIAC's Strategic Plan for Identity Management for 2010–2012.

DIAC's Identity Business Reference Model (IBRM)

The Identity Business Reference Model (IBRM) will form the foundation of the business of identity management in the Department. The primary goal of the IBRM is to drive the implementation of new and improved identity management practices in the Department that will enable the outcomes stated in the Strategic Plan for Identity Management in DIAC 2007-2010 to be met.  These are:

• a greater confidence in the identity of our Clients
• improved and consolidated identity information that is readily and globally accessible to decision makers
• an increased capacity to detect fraudulent identities
• strengthened Client identity resolution through the implementation of identity resolution services
• an effective legislative framework to support the introduction of improved identity management supported by biometric technologies.

The IBRM provides a framework to deliver these outcomes by defining a consistent, logical, effective and efficient business model that can be used to:

• link identity management policy, procedures, and technological solutions to the vision and goals defined in the Strategic Plan for Identity Management in DIAC 2007–2010
• standardise identity management processes across the department
• standardise information that is collected and used to assess a client's stated identity at key interactions with the department
• inform the technological future state
• form part of a broader DIAC business architecture.

The IBRM will provide a mechanism to mitigate the issues related to identity that were raised in the Palmer, Comrie and Ombudsman reports.

The IBRM also provides a mechanism to help us to identify the gaps between current Identity Management capability and the desired future state, and thus to determine an approach for transitioning from the current Identity Management capability to the desired future state.
See:
Identity Business Reference Model – Executive Report – Full version (1.3MB PDF file)

Parts of the report are also available to download individually:
See:
Identity Business Reference Model – Executive Report – Part 1 (443KB PDF file)
Identity Business Reference Model – Executive Report – Part 2 (254KB PDF file)

Further information

See: Fact Sheet 84 – Biometric Initiatives