DataPoints - National Data Commissioner Update January 2024
We kick off the year with our refreshed annual priorities signalling our intention to double down on supporting data sharing under the DATA Scheme. This includes new guidance on how to make a data sharing request.
Congratulations to Monash University who, this month, made the first data sharing request under the DATA Scheme. An exciting milestone! Thank you to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare and the Australian Bureau of Statistics for their quick responses to the request and feedback that Dataplace worked very well and was easy to use.
To find out more about making or responding to a data sharing request, please attend our webinar or contact us on our website.
We have two new Scheme participants. The Victorian Department of Health and the Commonwealth Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts have been accredited as data users. You can find details of all accredited Scheme participants on the register.
Now is the time to get onboard Dataplace and submit your application for accreditation so you can make a data sharing request. We have a range of resources to help you with your application. You can also attend one of our webinars.
Want to learn more about the DATA Scheme?
We are hosting webinars and online meetings on 14 February for you to learn more about the DATA Scheme and strengthening your organisation’s data capability. Join us for:
- Data inventory Community of Practice – 10am AEDT – Register here.
- Introduction to the DATA Scheme – 11am AEDT – Register here.
- How to become an Accredited Data User – 1pm AEDT – Register here.
- How to make data sharing requests – 2pm AEDT – Register here.
We are also supporting Data Custodians and other DATA Scheme participants to meet their Scheme obligations by providing guidance about reporting requirements for Scheme entities.
Check out our full library of resources and guidance here.
Good reads (and views) for the data community
In January, the Australian Government published its interim response to consultations on responsible use of AI. The government is now considering mandatory guardrails for AI development and deployment in high-risk settings and will work with industry to develop a voluntary AI safety standard and options for voluntary labelling and watermarked of AI-generated materials.
Australian Statistician Dr David Gruen recently interviewed me for his video series In Conversation – an APS Data Profession initiative. Past interviews have been with Professor Genevieve Bell, Vice-Chancellor, Australian National University, Nobel Prize winner Prof. Brian Schmidt, renowned Australian journalist Alan Kohler and many more. Check out the full series here.
For those who are developing or updating a data strategy for your organisation, you might want to take a look at Treasury's recently released Enterprise Data Strategy for 2023-25.
Good uses of public data
The Australian Government has released one of the most important data resources for our future, the National bushfire data sets. The Digital Atlas of Australia includes a near real-time product of combined state and territory data feeds showing bushfires and burn boundaries every 15 minutes. This data helps improve situational awareness during bushfire events, aiding authorities to make decisions on evacuation routes, resource allocation and potential containment strategies.
If you have feedback or something to share in future editions of DataPoints, please get in touch. We are always interested to hear your stories, particularly how you have used data to deliver public benefit. And follow us on LinkedIn!
Gayle