MADIP data and legislation

The Multi-Agency Data Integration Project (MADIP) is a secure data asset combining information on health, education, government payments, income and taxation, employment, and population demographics (including the Census) over time. MADIP data supports government decision making and academic research.

The ABS is the Accredited Integrating Authority for MADIP, collecting and combining datasets and providing access to authorised researchers. MADIP includes administrative data shared with the ABS and ABS survey data.

The ABS is committed to transparency and openness about data included in MADIP. This web page provides more information about the laws authorising data sharing for MADIP and the datasets included in MADIP.

Legislative Authority

The ABS collects data for MADIP from a range of different data custodians. Government agencies need permission and powers (legislative authority) to share data with the ABS.

The ABS is authorised to collect, compile, analyse, and publish statistics under the Australian Bureau of Statistics Act 1975 and the Census and Statistics Act 1905. In particular, the ABS is authorised by these laws to:

  • undertake surveys and the Census
  • collect information from other data custodians
  • link Census data and other information
  • produce statistics for analysis
  • publish statistical outputs.

In accordance with the Australian Bureau of Statistics Act 1975, the ABS maximises the value of data we hold while keeping it safe and secure.

The ABS protects privacy and is committed to keeping MADIP data safe and secure. MADIP data is protected by the secrecy provisions of the Census and Statistics Act 1905. This means that the ABS cannot release MADIP data in a way that is likely to identify an individual. For more information about how we protect your privacy, please see Keeping integrated data safe and Privacy at the ABS.

Each data custodian shares data with the ABS for MADIP lawfully. Legislative authority for sharing may come from the data custodian’s:

  • establishing legislation
  • legislation relating to the original collection of the data
  • specific data sharing legislation
  • other legislation.

Further detailed information on data sharing for MADIP is available in the 2022 MADIP Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) update. You can find out more from the MADIP PIA overview web page or the PIA reports published to the ABS Privacy Impact Assessments web page.

Data in MADIP

MADIP evolves to include new and updated sources of data. The ABS only links data to MADIP that are reasonably necessary for an approved purpose.

The ABS collects two broad types of information for MADIP: 

  • Linkage information - which usually includes personal identifiers such as name, sex/gender, address, and date of birth. This information is only used to link the datasets together; it is not used for analytical purposes.
  • Analytical information - which includes variables of interest for analysis, such as occupation, income and health services use. Some linkage data may be used for analytical purposes with appropriate confidentiality treatments applied (for example, sex/gender, address).

Datasets can have either an enduring or once-off link to MADIP. Enduring data linkages are available for analysis by authorised researchers. The ABS works with data custodians to keep enduring data linkages up to date on a regular schedule.

Researchers can propose once-off data linkages to MADIP for a specific project. The ABS retains once-off data linkages for as long as required for approved projects. Data custodians may also approve the reuse of once-off linkages for further projects. The MADIP Board may sometimes approve once-off linkages to become an enduring linkage.

For more detail on what enduring data is available for analysis by authorised researchers, see the MADIP Modular Product.

Current data in MADIP

The lists below describe the datasets currently linked to MADIP and the laws authorising sharing data with the ABS. We update these lists twice a year.

Approved researchers can access current MADIP data to:

  • undertake research and evaluation activities
  • improve the efficiency and effectiveness of government services
  • make policy decisions.

MADIP can also be integrated with Business Longitudinal Analysis Data Environment (BLADE) datasets for approved projects.

You can find out more about how researchers use current MADIP data from the MADIP Research Projects, MADIP Case Studies and Data Integration Project Register web pages.

Commonwealth government data

Australian Bureau of Statistics

Legal basis for sharing data

  • Australian Bureau of Statistics Act 1975
  • Census and Statistics Act 1905

Enduring linkages

ABS Business Characteristics Survey, 2005-06 to 2017-18

  • An annual survey providing estimates in business use of information technology, innovation, and a broad range of other non-financial business characteristics.

ABS Survey of Disability, Ageing & Carers, 2018

  • Information about people with disability, older people (aged 65 years or more) and people who care for people with disability or older people.

Australian Census Longitudinal Dataset, 2006, 2011, 2016

  • The Australian Census Longitudinal Dataset brings together a 5% sample of Census data from the 2006, 2011 and 2016 Censuses. It contains information such as age, sex, country of birth, labour force status, as well as dwelling, household and family characteristics, across each of these Censuses.
  • Researchers can apply to use the ACLD for longitudinal MADIP analysis for specific projects.

ABS National Health Survey, 2014-15, 2017-18

  • Information on Australian’s health and wellbeing such as medical conditions, health and lifestyle risk factors, mental health and use of health services.

Business Longitudinal Analysis Environment (BLADE) Core Dataset, from 2001

  • BLADE is an economic data tool combining tax, trade, and intellectual property information with ABS data to provide a better understanding of the Australian economy and business performance over time. A limited set of BLADE information (generally from 2001 onwards) is available in MADIP.

Census of Population and Housing, 2011, 2016 and 2021

  • Census data provides demographic information such as family composition, education attainment, marital status, and household income.
  • Current ABS policy restricts the linking of data from more than one Census. This means data from multiple Censuses cannot be brought together for longitudinal MADIP analysis. The exception to this is the Australian Census Longitudinal Dataset, which brings together a small sample of Census data exploring how Australian society changes over time.

Once-off linkages

ABS Household Income & Expenditure Survey, 2015-16

  • Information on sources of income, amounts received, household net worth, financial stress, housing, household characteristics & personal characteristics.
  • This information is collected from private households over two phases using the ABS Survey of Income and Housing and the ABS Household Expenditure Survey.

ABS Survey of Income and Housing, 2019-20, 2020-21

  • Information on sources of income, amounts received, household net worth, housing, household characteristics and personal characteristics collected from a sample of private households.

Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority

Legal basis for sharing data

  • Education and Care Services National Law

Once-off linkages

National Quality Standard, 2013 to 2017

  • The National Quality Standard is a measure for early childhood education and care and outside school hours care services in Australia. Services are assessed and rated by the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority, given a rating for each of the 7 quality areas and an overall rating based on these results.

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare

Legal basis for sharing data

  • Australian Institute of Health and Welfare Act 1987

  • Census and Statistics Act 1905

Once-off linkages

National Disability Data Asset (NDDA) Pilot dataset extract, 2010 to 2020

  • The NDDA is a joint integrated data project aiming to bring together Commonwealth and state and territory data to provide new insights for the future development of policy for people with disability.

Australian Taxation Office

Legal basis for sharing data

  • Taxation Administration Act 1953

  • Tax Law Amendment (Confidentiality of Taxpayer Information) Act 2010

Enduring linkages

JobKeeper, 2020 to 2021

  • Information about JobKeeper subsidy payments to businesses affected by coronavirus (COVID-19).

Personal Income Tax data

  • Client Register, from 2006: demographic data about individuals who require a tax file number to interact with government, business, financial, educational and other community institutions
  • Pay as you go (PAYG) Payment Summaries, from 2010-11: employer-issued records of payments made to individuals
  • Client Data Income Tax Returns, from 2010-11: the tax return data filed by individuals

Single Touch Payroll, from 2020-21

  • Information about employees' salaries and wages, pay as you go (PAYG) withholding and superannuation as reported through the Single Touch Payroll system.

Once-off linkages

Early Release of Superannuation, Apr 2020 to Dec 2020

  • Information about early access to retirement savings by eligible individuals.

Job Maker Hiring Credit Dataset, 1 Feb 2021 to 31 January 2023

  • Employer and employee information provided by businesses claiming a Job Maker Hiring Credit (JMHC). The JMHC scheme is an incentive for businesses to employ additional young job seekers aged 16–35 years.

Superannuation Balances data – Member Account Transaction Service (MATS) and Member Account Attributes Service, 2018-19, 2019-20

  • Information about superannuation contributions, transactions, and events, such as account closure and account phase. This information is reported to the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) by regulated funds using the ATO’s MATS and MAAS services.

Taxable Payment Annual Report from Residential Aged Care Facilities, Payee Data, 2020-21

  • Total payments made to contractors by residential aged care facilities, including subcontractors, consultants and independent contractors operating as companies, partnerships, trusts or sole traders.

Department of Defence and Department of Veterans’ Affairs

Legal basis for sharing data

  • Australian Institute of Health and Welfare Act 1987

Once-off linkages

Veterans Population Spine and Analytical Dataset, 2001 to 2018

  • Demographic, health, and service record information for members of the Australian Defence Forces, integrated by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) and provided to the ABS in a de-identified form.

Department of Education and Department of Employment and Workplace Relations

Legal basis for sharing data

  • A New Tax System (Family Assistance) (Administration) Act 1999
  • Australian Education Act 2013
  • Australian Education Regulation 2013
  • Census and Statistics Act 1905
  • Education Services for Overseas Students Act 2000
  • Higher Education Support Act 2003
  • National Vocational Education and Training Regulator Act 2011
  • Social Security (Administration) Act 1999
  • Student Identifiers Act 2014
  • VET Student Loans Act 2016
  • Respective State and Territory Legislation

Enduring linkages

Australian Apprenticeships Incentives Program (AAIP) & Training Contracts, from 2006

  • Information on apprenticeships and traineeships, AAIP payments, and Trade Support Loan (TSL) payments.

Australian Early Development Census, 2009, 2012, 2015, 2018

  • Measures how well children in their first year of full time school are developing across 5 important domains.

Higher Education Information Management System Data, from 2005

  • Information on higher education studies including course type, student status and study load.

Provider Registration and International Students Management System. from 2006

  • Information on the course enrolments of overseas students.

Total Vocational Education and Training (VET) Activity, from 2015

  • Information about students and the VET delivery activities of registered training organisations. This dataset is supplied by agreement with the Department of Education, the Office of the Student Identifiers Registrar and the National Centre for Vocational Educational Research.

Once-off linkages

Child Care Management System, 2010 to 2018

  • Information on enrolment & attendance of children aged 4-6 (inclusive) & their associated carers, including basic demographics. This is reported to the Department of Education and used to calculate the fee reductions to be paid to the service.

Employment Services System and Post-Program Monitoring Surveys, 2015-16 to 2018-19

  • Demographic and employment outcomes information collected from job seekers during the delivery of employment services.

New South Wales Family Day Care data, 2013, 2015

  • Information on children participating in early childhood education in New South Wales.

New South Wales Long Day Care submission for National Early Childhood Education and Care Collection, 2013, 2015

  • Information on children participating in early childhood education in New South Wales.

Student Residential Address and Other Information (Student) collection, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021

  • Information about student residential address (excluding names), level of schooling, boarding status and names and addressed of students' parents and/or guardians, from eligible schools. The Student collection is undertaken each year by non-government Approved Authorities and their schools.

Department of Health and Aged Care

Legal basis for sharing data

  • Australian Immunisation Register Act 2015
  • Health Insurance Act 1973
  • National Health Act 1953

Enduring linkages

Australian Immunisation Register, from 2010

  • Information about COVID-19 and other vaccination status, including core demographics.

Centralised Register of Medical Practitioners (Provider Directory), from 2011

  • Information about registered medical practitioners, including specialties.

    Medicare Benefits Schedule, from 2006

    • Information on the usage of Medicare subsidised health care services.

      Medicare Consumer Directory, from 2006 to June 2020

      • All persons with an active Medicare enrolment. This dataset was previously known as the Medicare Enrolments Database.
      • The Department of Health and Aged Care and Services Australia are joint data custodians for the Medicare Consumer Directory.

      Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, from 2006

      • Information about the use of prescription medications & services subsidised under the PBS.

      Once-off linkages

      Aged Care Provider data

      • Information on Aged Care Homes, including permanent and respite residential care and Multi-Purpose Service residential care, sourced from the public dataset at GEN Aged Care Data.

      Department of Home Affairs

      Legal basis for sharing data

      • Australian Border Force Act 2015
      • Census and Statistics Act 1905
      • Migration Act 1958

      Enduring linkages

      Adult Migrant English Program data, from 2003

      • Information on participants in the English language tuition program, including their visa type, course attendance and educational outcomes.

      Client information, from 1984

      • Client information on Australian-born citizens, temporary & permanent migrants.

      Net Overseas Migration (NOM) Traveller data, from 2004

      • All overseas movement records on Home Affairs’ Travel & Immigration Processing System. Movement records are supplied via monthly extracts with the data being compiled on a quarterly basis.

      Skilled Migration Points, from 2005

      • Information on the points assigned across 30 fields related to skills & experience for persons who have applied for skilled migration visas.

      Visa information & Citizenship grants, from 2000

      • Information on visa types, start & end dates, & data on educational studies for student visas & working arrangements for skilled migration visas.

      Department of Social Services

      Legal basis for sharing data

      • A New Tax System (Family Assistance) Administration Act 1999
      • Paid Parental Leave Act 2010
      • Social Security (Administration) Act 1999
      • Student Assistance Act 1973

      Enduring linkages

      Data Exchange, from July 2015

      • Program performance information that contains de-identified data on clients that receive social services including their demographics and services being delivered.

      DOMINO Centrelink Administrative data, from 2009

      • Data Over Multiple Individual Occurrences (DOMINO) contains snapshots of the characteristics of recipients of government payments such as the Age Pension and JobSeeker (formerly Newstart Allowance). This dataset was previously known as Social Security and Related Information (SSRI).

        Once-off linkages

        Transgenerational Data Set (TDS) extract, 1993 to 2014

        • The TDS Extract links social assistance records of a birth cohort of children to their parents, including payment history, demographic information, and accommodation and study history.

        National Disability Insurance Agency

        Legal basis for sharing data

        • National Disability Insurance Scheme Act 2013
        • NDIS (Protection and Disclosure of Information) Rules 2013

        Enduring linkages

        National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) data, from June 2019

        • Information on primary disability, including services attained, by participants in the National Disability Insurance Scheme.

        Services Australia

        Legal basis for sharing data

        • Health Insurance Act 1973
        • National Health Act 1953

        Enduring linkages

        Medicare Consumer Directory, from 2006 to June 2020

        • All persons with an active Medicare enrolment. This dataset was previously known as the Medicare Enrolments Database.
        • The Department of Health and Aged Care and Services Australia are joint data custodians for the Medicare Consumer Directory.

        State and territory government data

        State and Territory Registrars of Births, Death, and Marriages

        Legal basis for sharing data

        • Respective Births, Deaths and Marriages Acts
        • Statistics (Arrangements with States) Act 1956

        Enduring linkages

        Death Registrations, from 2005

        • Information relating to registered death records from Australian States and Territories.

        Once-off linkages

        Birth Registrations, 2006 to 2018

        • Information collected by State and Territory Registrars to enable the registration of a birth.

        New South Wales (NSW) Government

        Cancer Institute of New South Wales

        Legal basis for sharing data

        • Health Administration Regulation 2015 (NSW)

        Once-off linkages

        NSW Linked Cancer dataset: BreastScreen NSW, 1988 to 2016

        • Information on people presenting for breast cancer screening in NSW, including assessment and treatment information and family histories of cancer.

        NSW Linked Cancer dataset: Cancer Incidence and Mortality, from 1972 to 2016

        • Demographic, cancer diagnosis, and mortality information for people with cancer in NSW. 

        NSW Linked Cancer dataset: NSW Pap Test Registry, from 1996 to 2017

        • Information on women who have a pap test in NSW, including the results of cervical cytology, histology tests or HPV DNA tests.

        NSW Department of Communities and Justice

        Legal basis for sharing data

        • Health Records and Information Privacy Act 2012 (NSW)
        • Privacy and Personal Information Protection Act 1998 (NSW)

        Once-off linkages

        NSW Human Services Dataset (HSDS), 1990 to 2020

        • The HSDS brings together NSW and Commonwealth records about children, young people and families, from across government services. The service streams, outcomes and life events captured in the HSDS included child protection, justice, housing, health and mental health, education, parental risk indicators and alcohol and other drug use.

        NSW Department of Education

        Legal basis for sharing data

        • Privacy and Personal Information Protection Act 1998 (NSW)

        Once-off linkages

        Best Start Kindergarten, 2015, 2018, 2019

        • Information on children participating in early childhood education in NSW.

        New South Wales National Assessment Program - Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) data, Year 3, 2018

        • Outcomes from the NAPLAN tests for New South Wales students who were in Year 3 in 2018.

        NSW Community and Government Preschool Data, 2013, 2014, 2016 to 2018

        • Information on children participating in early childhood education in NSW.Privacy and Personal Information Protection Act 1998 (NSW)

        NSW public school enrolment and student characteristics, 1996 to 2016

        • Student characteristics including enrolments and attendance, course data and field of education.Privacy and Personal Information Protection Act 1998 (NSW)

        NSW public school workforce profile (teachers), 1996 to 2016

        • Information on school and teacher characteristics.Privacy and Personal Information Protection Act 1998 (NSW)

        NSW Department of Industry

        Legal basis for sharing data

        • Privacy and Personal Information Protection Act 1998 (NSW)

        Once-off linkages

        Smart, Skilled and Hired data, 1996 to 2016

        • Characteristics and outcomes of young people engaged in the Smart, Skilled and Hired youth employment program.

        NSW Education Standards Authority

        Legal basis for sharing data

        • Privacy and Personal Information Protection Act 1998 (NSW)

        Once-off linkages

        New South Wales NAPLAN, Record of School Achievement, Higher School Certificate, 1996 to 2016

        • Student and family characteristics, test results and other education outcomes.

        Queensland (QLD) Government

        QLD Department of Education

        Legal basis for sharing data

        • Education General Provisions Act 2006 (QLD)

        Once-off linkages

        Queensland NAPLAN data, 2010 to 2018

        • Outcomes from the NAPLAN tests for Queensland state school students who were in Year 3 during 2010, 2011 and 2012.

        Government of South Australia (SA)

        SA Department for Education

        Legal basis for sharing data

        • Census and Statistics Act 1905
        • Public Sector (Data Sharing) Act 2016 (SA)

        Once-off linkages

        NDDA South Australian Linkage: South Australian NAPLAN, 2008 to 2019

        • Information on education for South Australians, including school attendance and attainment outcomes.

        NDDA South Australian Linkage: South Australian School Enrolment Census, 2005 to 2019

        • Information on education for South Australians, including school attendance and attainment outcomes.

        SACE Board of South Australia

        Legal basis for sharing data

        • Census and Statistics Act 1905
        • SACE Board of South Australia Act 1983 (SA)

        Once-off linkages

        NDDA South Australian Linkage: South Australian Certificate of Education (SACE), 2014 to 2019

        • Information on education for South Australians, including school attendance and attainment outcomes.

        Victorian (VIC) Government

        VIC Department of Health and Human Services

        Legal basis for sharing data

        • Health Records Act 2001 (VIC)

        • Privacy & Data Protection Act 2014 (VIC)

        Once-off linkages

        Victorian Linkage Map, 1991 to Dec 2018

        • The Victorian Linkage Map (VLM) is a system of linked records that are identified as belonging to the same person across 30 different Victorian health and human services datasets.
        • A selection of VLM datasets have been linked to MADIP, enabling de-identified service histories to be used for research.
          • Alcohol and Drug Information System
          • Birth Registry
          • Child Protection and Out of Home Care
          • ChildFIRST
          • Death Index
          • Dental Health Program Dataset
          • Disability Services
          • Family Services
          • Family Violence Services
          • Homelessness Services
          • Mental Health Community Support Services
          • National Disability Insurance Scheme Dataset
          • Public Housing Applications
          • Public Housing Tenancies
          • Public Mental Health Services
          • Sexual Assault Services
          • Victorian Admitted Episodes Dataset
          • Victorian Emergency Minimum Dataset
          • Youth Justice Data

        Private sector data

        Australian and New Zealand Intensive Care Society

        Legal basis for sharing data

        • Privacy Act 1988

        Once-off linkages

        Adult Patient Database, 2017 to 2022

        • Information on patients admitted to intensive care units across Australia including demographics and health characteristics: diagnoses, chronic health conditions, frailty measures, illness severity measures, types of care and treatment given.

        New types of data in MADIP

        The MADIP Board and ABS periodically consider linking new types of data to MADIP where there is a strong public benefit.

        The decision to include or not include a new type of data in MADIP is informed by consideration of the:

        • public benefit and utility of linking the data
        • types of information within the dataset and restrictions on use
        • impact of including the dataset on the size and nature of the overall MADIP asset.

        The MADIP Board and ABS are committed to transparency and openness about linking new types of data to MADIP. When considering proposals for new types of data, the ABS takes extra steps to ensure transparency. These extra steps include:

        • providing notice to the public of the proposal
        • publishing the decision to link the new type of data, and reasons for that decision.

        The ABS also applies a robust framework of protections for integrating data. We describe these protections in more detail on the Keeping integrated data safe web page.

        You can find out more about current proposals to link new types of data, as well as past proposals and decisions, below. The ABS welcomes your feedback on new types of data being considered for inclusion in MADIP. For enquiries, please email data.integration.privacy@abs.gov.au.

        Current proposals

        There are no current proposals to link a new type of data with MADIP.

        Past proposals and decisions for new types of data

        Private sector health data

        Notice published: 20 October 2022
        Decision: Approved November 2022

        The ABS and the MADIP Board considered, and approved, a proposal to link intensive care data collected by a private organisation to MADIP. The data includes information about patients admitted to intensive care units across Australia. This is the first private sector data linked to MADIP.

        The dataset was proposed for a once-off linkage to MADIP as part of the research project Understanding socio-demographic cohorts in the COVID-19 vaccines strategy. This project is led by the Department of Health and Aged Care, in collaboration with other Commonwealth and State agencies and other partner groups.  

        The ABS invited public feedback on the proposal via a notice published on this web page. The ABS also consulted with a small group of stakeholders in October 2022 to consider:

        • privacy issues with linking this new private sector health data
        • whether the current protections and safeguards in place for MADIP data were adequate for this linkage.

        Stakeholders were supportive of the proposal. They did not identify any extra governance requirements or restrictions. You can find out more about stakeholder views from the consultation summary published to the ABS Privacy Impact Assessments web page.

        The ABS approved the proposal to link this new private sector health data to MADIP in early November 2022. Reasons for the approval include:

        • Strict standards for privacy, security and confidentiality are in place to safely manage the dataset.
        • The dataset is highly useful to the research project.
        • There is a strong public benefit to enabling research into the health outcomes of COVID-19.
        Data custodian, dataset and reference period

        Australian and New Zealand Intensive Care Society (ANZICS)

        Adult Patient Database (APD), 2017 to 2022

        • Information on patients admitted to intensive care units across Australia including demographics and health characteristics: diagnoses, chronic health conditions, frailty measures, illness severity measures, types of care and treatment given.
        Legal basis for sharing data
        • Privacy Act 1988
        Project proposing to use this data
        Back to top of the page