Service NSW turns on in-app vaccine certificates

All NSW residents fully immunised against Covid-19 can now add their digital vaccine certificates to the Service NSW app, removing the need to present the credential separately during check-ins.

The feature became available on Thursday night after a whirlwind four-day trial with 500 people in the regional centres of Tamworth, Port Macquarie, Wagga Wagga and Lismore.

It comes as the state fast approaches the 80 percent double vaccination mark, which will likely see restrictions further eased from Monday.

Until now, the digital certificate could be accessed through the Express Plus Medicare app and myGov, or downloaded to an Apple or Google digital wallet.

But the integrated vaccine certificate adds further security measures, including an additional hologram and rotating QR codes that allow businesses to verify the validity of the certificate.

“This is an extra digital service to make life easier for the businesses and customers of NSW as we open back up,” Minister for Digital and Customer Service Victor Dominello said.

“NSW is the first jurisdiction in Australia to roll out an integrated QR code solution for displaying vaccination status statewide.”

Individuals wanting to integrate the vaccine certificate will need to download the latest version of the Service NSW app and consent to sharing the data through the Medicare app or myGov.

In doing so, Services Australia will disclose a pdf of the vaccination certificate and data token containing key information, including a person’s name, vaccine status and document number.

The data is sourced from the Australian immunisation register, which is operated by Services Australia.

Victoria also began trialling vaccine certificates through the Service Victoria app this week, though they do not have the same QR code authentication feature as Service NSW at present.

Victoria’s Minister for Government Services Danny Pearson on Thursday said that a million Victorians had already connected their digital vaccination certificates in the Service Victoria app.