WA digitalises historical identity records

The Western Australian government has digitalised more than two million birth, death and marriage certificates dating back to 1841 to provide easier access to historical records.

The state’s Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages has spent the past six years converting paper-based records dating back to the early days of European settlement into electronic form.

State Attorney-General Michael Wischin said the initiative forms part of the government’s commitment to reducing red tape, as it will significantly reduce turnaround time for requests for records.

“Prior to the digitisation project, it took up to five days to issue a certificate, whereas now, the vast majority are issued the same day,” he said.

“The system also enables country residents to access certificate services directly from a number of regional courthouses, which is much faster and more convenient than it was forwarding their application to the Perth registry.”

Mischin added that converting the records into electronic format will also improve the integrity and security of state identity credentials.

Finance Minister Bill Marmion said the state government has also reduced red tape through digitalisation initiatives including introducing the ability to pay fines and lodge court documents online at any time.

“The burden and frustration of red tape has been eased by making the most of technology to deliver improved services to business and the community,” he said.

Image courtesy Named Faces from the Past under CC