ABS Accredited Data Service Provider (ADSP) Information
ABS ADSP Accreditation
The ABS was accredited as an ADSP by the National Data Commissioner on 12 February 2025.
This accreditation recognises ABS capability to deliver high quality, secure data services that support safe, ethical and effective data use and sharing across government, research and policy sectors.
What is an ADSP?
An ADSP is an entity that has been accredited to perform intermediary data services to assist data custodians and accredited users in data sharing arrangements under the Data Availability and Transparency Act 2022 (DAT Act). To become an ADSP, an entity must be accredited by the National Data Commissioner and meet requirements for accreditation under the DAT Act.
An ADSP can be a Commonwealth, state or territory body, or an Australian university.
What can an ADSP do?
ADSPs are accredited to provide one or more of the following data services:
- De-identification
- Secure access
- Complex data integration
ADSPs play a critical role in:
- Enabling high-value data use while maintaining strong privacy and confidentiality protections
- Supporting evidence-based decision-making across government, academia, and research
- Providing infrastructure and expertise for complex data projects that require advanced handling
The ABS will only undertake data integration for statistical and research purposes and where there is a strong public benefit in doing so. The ABS has internal governance procedures to thoroughly vet applications for proposed data integration projects.
Transition from Accredited Integrating Authority
The ABS was previously recognised as an Accredited Integrating Authority (AIA) under the Commonwealth data integration interim arrangements in April 2012. The Data Availability and Transparency (Consequential Amendments) Transitional Rules 2022 formally recognised the ABS as a transitional entity so it could function as an ADSP under the DAT Act prior to receiving full accreditation in 2025.
The AIA arrangement sunset in July 2025. Since then, entities that want to provide complex data integration, de-identification and/or secure access data services involving Australian Government data, whether under the DAT Act or not, must be accredited as an ADSP.