Administrative data sources

The admin data sources used for calculating admin income are presented below. Relevant aspects of data quality are discussed for each source. 

The Person Level Integrated Data Asset (PLIDA) is a secure data asset combining information on health, education, government payments, income and taxation, employment, and population demographics (including the Census and some ABS surveys) over time. 

Admin incomes are calculated using the PLIDA Modular Product, which consists of subsets of data (modules) that are supplied by data custodians, structured for analysis purposes. Further detail about the Modular Product’s datasets and modules can be found in the Data Item List.

The ABS is trusted as the accredited integrating authority for PLIDA. Linkage of datasets is performed using the Person Linkage Spine (Spine) which is separate from the main body of analytical data. Each spine entry is represented by a unique identifier, a ‘spine ID’, on which each person on PLIDA analysis files seeks a linkage to. The linkage of each analysis file via a common spine ID allows multiple datasets to be brought together for individuals.

PLIDA is overseen by a PLIDA Board. Access to PLIDA is provided to approved researchers working on approved projects. The PLIDA homepage provides more information on PLIDA and how it operates, including how it meets privacy and legislative requirements.

The following datasets are available in the PLIDA Modular Product and contain the income data used to calculate admin incomes.

The DOMINO database is a comprehensive, longitudinal resource developed by the Department of Social Services (DSS) to support research into the population’s interactions with government payments administered by Centrelink. It captures detailed information on: 

• Government pensions and allowances income.
• Income changes (to wages and other sources of non-government income) for recipients of Australian pensions and allowances. 

It also includes limited information about payments administered by the Department of Veterans’ Affairs. The DOMINO extract used includes data from 2000 onwards. 

Access to DOMINO data is strictly controlled and granted only to approved research projects through the Public Interest Certificate process. Access is available via PLIDA, where DSS ensures the provision of relevant and up-to-date metadata to support clarity around the features of data items. Metadata associated with the data is also maintained within the DOMINO metadata repository. DOMINO maintains a high level of consistency and comparability over time, although some changes to individual payment structures may occur. 

The data is typically made available six weeks after the end of each quarter.

Access to the tax data sources listed below is governed by a legislated arrangement under Section 355-65 of the Taxation Administration Act 1953. This authorises the ATO to share identifiable information with the ABS for the sole purpose of administering the Census and Statistics Act 1905. The ABS as an integrating authority is permitted to access and use this data for statistical and research purposes. This arrangement ensures that datasets are supplied securely and used exclusively for authorised analytical functions. 

All datasets are supplied with comprehensive metadata which is maintained within the PLIDA output files to support interpretation and analysis.

The STP dataset contains detailed employee-level payroll information submitted by employers to the ATO. This includes data on salaries, wages, tax withholdings, and superannuation contributions made through a payroll. STP data is available in PLIDA at a monthly frequency. These files include information from all active employing businesses and organisations across the Australian economy. Data is available from 2020 onwards.

The dataset used for developing admin incomes uses a version of the STP dataset as of July 2025. This dataset contains employee income that has undergone transformations so that data is presented in weekly episodes for all people. This improves its quality and utility for analysis for PLIDA researchers. These transformations mean that the data available for income calculation is limited. Specifically, breakdowns of payment categories and pay periods are not available, preventing the assessment of data at a finer level of granularity. The current STP data was superseded by an expanded set of information on 24 October 2025.

The Income Tax Return (ITR) dataset comprises annual information submitted by taxpayers to the ATO, including details on income, deductions, and tax liabilities of individuals. The data items currently available in PLIDA have a high degree of consistency over time. While providing a comprehensive range of data items for many in the population, the dataset may contain incomplete information due to unlodged tax returns. This includes people who have not yet lodged their return for the year, or those who are not required to lodge a return.

The ATO supplies data for a given financial year to the ABS for inclusion in PLIDA in two extracts. An extract of data at 12-months after the end of a financial year is followed by another file 16-months after the same financial year. The latter extract contains more complete data, including individuals who required an extension to lodge their tax returns for a given year. Financial year ITR datasets are available in PLIDA from 1999-2000 onwards. Data for a given year is available in PLIDA approximately 18 months following the reference financial year. 

The Payment Summary (PS) dataset contains detailed records of individuals’ financial year income, tax withheld, and other information typically required for completing an ITR. 

The PS dataset includes data for individuals who received an Income Statement—formerly known as a Pay As You Go (PAYG) payment summary—from their employer, which was subsequently submitted to the ATO. While comprehensive, for some individuals the dataset may only include employment records for part of a financial year and may lack context on the actual duration of employment during the year. Additionally, it may not capture certain types of income payments made to employees, such as tips or employee share schemes, which are not always reported through standard payroll systems. 

Data for a given financial year are supplied by the ATO to the ABS as two extracts, the first is an extract taken 12 months after the end of a financial year. This is followed by a 16-month extract file. Data files are included in PLIDA at the same time as the given period’s ITR data.

Data is available in PLIDA from 2001-02 onwards and has maintained a high degree of data item consistency over this period.

Superannuation Account Extract (SAE) data includes information sourced from the Member Account Attribute Service (MAAS), Member Account Transaction Service (MATS), and Self-Managed Superannuation Funds (SMSFs).

MAAS/MATS are reporting mechanisms which enhance the timeliness and accuracy of superannuation data reporting. These services replaced the Member Contributions Statement (MCS) from 1 July 2018 and are now the primary channels through which superannuation providers report member account information. 

MAAS is used to report changes to member account attributes, such as account openings, updates, closures, and lost member status, ensuring that member information remains current. MATS supports event-based reporting of financial transactions within superannuation accounts, including contributions and rollovers, allowing for frequent and detailed monitoring of superannuation activity. Both services are supported by technical documentation and validation protocols to ensure data quality. The use of these services is mandatory for APRA-regulated superannuation funds. 

SMSF data is primarily sourced from lodged annual returns. This data provides insights into the structure, performance, and demographics of the SMSF sector. 

While these datasets do not directly contain superannuation income data, they provide information including the balance of accounts, for modelling superannuation income.

Data for a given year is included in PLIDA at the same time as the given period’s ITR and PS data. Data is available in PLIDA from 2018-19 onwards.