The Morrison Government has taken the next step in preparation for reopening Australia to international travel at scale, with the appointment of Accenture to deliverthe Digital Passenger Declaration (DPD).
The DPD will replace the physical incoming passenger card and the COVID-19 Australian Travel Declaration web form, capturing essential information including passengers' vaccination status up to 72 hours prior to boarding. Passengers coming into Australia will be able to complete the DPD on their mobile device or computer.
Minister for Home Affairs Karen Andrews said all Australianslooked forward to once more welcoming international travellers across the border, and that the Government was taking proactive steps to ensure the safe reopening of the border at scale when supported by health advice.
"The DPD will supportthe safe re-opening of Australia's international borders, by providing digitally-verified COVID-19 vaccination details," Minister Andrews said.
"This will help us to welcome home increasing numbers of Australians, and welcome the tourists, travellers, international students, skilled workers, and overseas friends and family we've all been missing during the pandemic."
Minister for Employment, Workforce, Skills, Small and Family Business and Minister responsible for data and digital policy, Stuart Robert said that, following the implementation of the DPD, the Government will consider how the same technology the DPD is based on can be reused to deliver a suite of digital upgrades to other government services.
"The overarching digitisation program could include visas, import permits, personnel identity cards, licenses, registrations, and other documents, making previously cumbersome processes easier, safer and more transparent," Minister Robert said.
Accenture was awarded the work through a competitive tender process run independently by the Department of Home Affairs. Accenture will work closely with the Department to deliver the initial operating capability of the DPD later in the year.
The DPD will also provide the capacity to collect, verify and share any Australian Government-approved and digitally-verified travel, health and vaccine status information of international travellers with State and Territory public health authorities.
The DPD will now move into a testing phase before being deployed, at scale, throughout major Australian airports.
