National Disability Data Asset

The National Disability Data Asset is a new way to connect information about people with disability. It will bring together de-identified data from Australian, state and territory government agencies for research and analysis. It will provide deeper, data driven insights about the needs and outcomes of people with disability than available previously. This information will help improve programs and services for people with disability. 

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) and the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) are partnering to design, develop and deliver the technical aspects of the asset. The National Disability Data Asset project is being led by the Australian Government Department of Social Services (DSS) and is overseen by the Disability Reform Ministers Council.

The National Disability Data Asset is in a phase of design and development. It is being designed in collaboration and consultation with the disability community, the Australian Government and state and territory governments.

The National Disability Data Asset website provides more information about the asset including answers to Frequently Asked Questions.

The ABS and AIHW are developing an underlying infrastructure to deliver the National Disability Data Asset. This infrastructure system is called the Australian National Data Integration Infrastructure (ANDII).

The ANDII refers to the national linkage and integration infrastructure. This includes a national spine and linkage model. It also includes data governance and streamlined data sharing arrangements that enable the creation of data assets. ANDII also refers to an ICT solution, supported by linkage and analytical capabilities. The ANDII ICT solution is being built in the cloud which provides opportunities for enhanced security, scalability and controlled data sharing. It will provide contemporary tools for data preparation, analysis and code management. It will also support repeatable data pipelines as well as more ad-hoc or once off data analytic tasks.

The ANDII builds on recent government reforms, including the Intergovernmental agreement on data sharing between the Commonwealth and State and Territory governments and the Data Availability and Transparency Act Scheme (DATA Scheme, administered by the National Data Commissioner). The ANDII will streamline the approach and reduce the time required to build integrated datasets.  

The ANDII is being developed in a way that will ensure data is safeguarded and people’s privacy is protected. The ANDII is applying data protection and security practices through its design and development, to ensure data is kept safe and secure. This includes compliance with the Protective Security Policy Framework, independent assessment and accreditation, and data governance framework that applies the Data Sharing Principles risk management framework for data access.

Privacy impacts and appropriate ethical oversight are being assessed before data is shared for this project. All data will be handled in accordance with the Commonwealth Privacy Act 1988.

The ABS and AIHW are currently:

• establishing key governance requirements
• designing and building secure systems
• developing processes to support development and delivery of the ANDII.

The underlying infrastructure for the National Disability Data Asset could be used to create other specific data assets on other important policy issues. The ABS and AIHW will share further updates on their websites as ANDII development continues.

For more information about ANDII contact ndda@abs.gov.au or ndda@aihw.gov.au.