Five years and $53 million may have been spent on Queensland’s first digital licence, but there was still a glitch when it was officially launched on Wednesday.
People were met with an error message when they tried to access what was touted as the “best digital licence in the nation”.
Transport and main roads minister Mark Bailey fronted the media and apologised, urging Queenslanders to be patient.
However, by Wednesday afternoon about 15,000 people had successfully downloaded the app and accessed their licence after “system adjustments”.
“We are working around the clock to make sure the system is performing as we expect,” transport department acting director-general Sally Stannard said.
“We encourage people to just be patient. It’s not like Taylor Swift tickets, it’s not going to sell out.”
The rollout may not have been smooth but Bailey said the app was robust and “very secure”.
“There is nothing wrong whatsoever with the app or the digital licence – it’s in very good shape,” he said.
“But what we have had is a delay in people being able to access it.
“All of our IT specialists and vendors are working very hard to make sure they can deal with that issue so it can go out in much larger numbers.”
There was a hiccup despite being in development since 2018 and successful trials in Townsville and on the Fraser Coast.
“I certainly apologise to people who haven’t been able to get a hold of it and have gotten an error message,” Bailey said.
“But can I assure everybody that they will have the digital licence and it’ll be the best in the nation, it’ll be at the highest standard of any digital licence in the country.”
Queenslanders will be able to access a password-protected digital version of their driver and marine licenses, or simply use it for proof of ID, with personal information encrypted.
South Australia launched digital licences in 2017 followed by NSW two years later with Victoria set to join them next year.
Queensland’s digital licence is the first one in Australia to be internationally compliant, Bailey said.
The stalled launch did not go unnoticed by the opposition.
“After 1,833 days, how many more does he need to get it right?” shadow TMR spokesperson Steve Minnikin said.
Australian Associated Press
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