Digital postbox rivals battle for govt dollars

Australia Post and Digital Post Australia are battling to connect their digital postbox services to the Federal government’s online services portal.

Australia Post said the incoming government had recognised the potential of its Digital MailBox service as a place for citizens to receive mandated electronic communications.

Digital MailBox head of technology Peter McTaggart said pilots were now underway with the Department of Human Services and the Australian Taxation Office.

Australia Post will face stiff competition from rival Digital Post Australia (DPA), which also wants to gain a slice of government business.

[Feature: Online mail makes a statement]

DPA general manager Simon Hughes told ProPrint‘s sister title, iTnews, that DPA had been “reasonably involved with all levels of government”. He added: “The interest level is very high within government.”

Hughes said the government would most likely forward mail from its myGov online services portal to multiple digital mailbox providers.

“The government always has to be careful about being a kingmaker. The preference of the government will always be to let the market make a decision and if it turns out to be a natural monopoly they will probably still go to tender for probity reasons.”

Digital MailBox has currently signed on three service providers: AMP, Yarra Valley Water and Australia Post’s own services.

DPA counts two Queensland utilities on its client list, but it has also connected nearly 1,000 listed entities thanks to its relationship with majority shareholder Computershare.

[Related: More news about digital postboxes]

This article originally appeared at itnews.com.au

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