DataPoints: the DATA Scheme 3 years on

April marks 3 years since the commencement of the Data Availability and Transparency Act 2022 (DAT Act). In that time we have supported the first instances of sharing under the Scheme, built a trusted data sharing community, and established the institutional arrangements for sharing public sector data to enhance transparency and trust.

Data requests and sharing

In March, there were 4 new data requests and 3 new data sharing agreements made under the Scheme. The first instances of sharing under the DATA Scheme enabled the creation of the National Disability Data Asset (NDDA). The Scheme is also supporting Accredited Users to access the asset. The 3 latest agreements will add more data about State & Territory government disability services to the NDDA which will be available for request in future releases of the asset. Find out how to access the asset on the Australian Government Data Catalogue. Since inception, we have recorded over 50 data requests using Dataplace and the DATA Scheme, and over 20 instances of data sharing.

Building a trusted data sharing community and institutional arrangements

We have built a trusted community of 34 accredited entities comprising 17 Australian Government agencies, 10 government agencies from most states and territories, and 7 Australian Universities.

We have implemented new institutional arrangements which ensure best practice data handling use and enhance transparency and trust. We built Dataplace, the digital platform for Scheme participants and others to manage their data sharing, which now boasts 119 onboarded organisations. The Australian Government Data Catalogue is integrated with Dataplace and is a search tool for researchers and others to find information about the data held by Australian Government agencies. There are 21 Australian Government agencies contributing data assets to the Catalogue directly from their inventory – 2 more than last month.

Acting on your feedback

Your feedback has helped to shape and improve the DATA Scheme. Of the priority actions identified by the DATA Scheme Working Group, 5 have been fully implemented and another 5 are well underway.

• The release of the short form template for DATA Scheme data sharing agreements in February further streamlined the data sharing process.
• We have released for consultation proposed amendments to the Data Availability and Transparency Code 2022 to include requirements for data sharing agreements to clearly recognise the rights of States and Territories over their data. We welcome your comments by 1 May. Check it out here.
• DATA Scheme participants can now request advice from the National Data Commissioner on how the Scheme applies to them in specific circumstances. Scheme participants can request advice using the template on our website. We have published the National Data Commissioner’s first advice. Check it out here.
• We released 2 new guidance notes in March, addressing priority issues identified by the Working Group. View all 18 guidance notes here.

Monitoring handling of data sharing requests

With the number of requests increasing, the ONDC is monitoring how requests are handled by Australian Government agencies. We are working to help them meet their obligations, consistent with our guidance.

Join us for 2 webinars in April:

• Responding to data sharing requests – Wednesday, 9 April at 10:00am AEST. An overview of Data Custodians’ obligations to consider when responding to data sharing requests, and how requests can be managed through Dataplace. Register here.
• Scheme entities’ responsibilities and reporting obligations – Wednesday, 30 April at 10am AEST. An overview of Scheme entities’ responsibilities and reporting obligations under the DATA Scheme. Register here.

Good reads for the data community

The statutory review of the Data Availability and Transparency Act 2022 has commenced, led by Dr Stephen King. We encourage readers to contribute to the review to help ensure the objectives of the Act are realised. Learn more about the review.

National Data Advisory Council Meeting

The National Data Advisory Council met in March, providing advice on DATA Scheme developments, the review of the Data Availability and Transparency Act 2022, as well as priorities and performance targets for 2025-2026. Read the meeting summary here.

Good uses of public data

Generation Victoria (GenV) is Australia’s largest-ever study of children and their parents, open to every Victorian family with a baby born between October 2021 and October 2023. Led from the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, GenV is creating a world-class resource by combining information (surveys, assessments, biosamples) from families with data from many sources such as hospitals, schools and services. This powerful, long-term dataset will help researchers find better ways to predict, prevent and treat health and wellbeing challenges. It is a national asset of international significance, check it out.

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, including how you have used data to deliver public benefit. Also, make sure to follow us on LinkedIn!

Gayle