DataPoints: August 2025 Edition

In July, 2 new data sharing requests were submitted under the DATA Scheme. Recently, researchers from the University of Queensland entered into a data sharing agreement with the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations for a study examining labour demand and supply through employment services in Australia. Once the agreement was negotiated and signed, the Data Custodian uploaded it to Dataplace. This enabled a secure exchange, formally closing the arrangement, and ensures ongoing centralised storage of the signed agreement, supporting easy access and robust traceability.

Make your own request for data held by Australian Government agencies on Dataplace, and see what is available on the Australian Government Data Catalogue to inspire your next data sharing project. The Bureau of Meteorology for example, has recently added 89 data assets to the Catalogue including satellite, solar, water and soil assets that would support a large range of meteorology research or studies.

Supporting data sharing through accreditation

The trusted data sharing community continues to grow with the NSW Department of Communities and Justice accredited to collect and use Australian Government data. In July, we renewed accreditation for Queensland Health, the Victorian Department of Health, the Department of Social Services, and the Australian Institute of Family Studies so they can continue to deidentify, integrate and provide secure access to Commonwealth data.

We are working with Australian Government agencies to build their understanding of our approach to accreditation. We want to see greater recognition by data custodians of accreditation status to support more data sharing and to make it quicker and easier. Check out these slides to learn more about our accreditation process. We are also working on publishing profiles of accredited entities, so Scheme participants have more information about their capabilities.

Our Annual Priorities for 2025-26

Top among our annual priorities for 2025-26 is the statutory review of the Data Availability and Transparency Act 2022. We will focus on facilitating data sharing, identifying new use cases and supporting users to make requests and data custodians to respond in a timely and positive way. We will keep encouraging Australian Government agencies to contribute to the Australian Government Data Catalogue and further develop and promote Dataplace to support efficient, best practice data sharing. We will keep building the trusted data sharing community through accreditation. We will continue our monitoring activities and holding Scheme participants accountable to meet the Scheme’s best practices. We will guide and educate Australian Government agencies and others on best practice data handling and sharing.

Join us for our webinar in August:

• Establishing a DATA Scheme data sharing agreement – Tuesday, 19 August at 10:30am AEST. A walk-through of what a data sharing agreement must contain, including advice on key privacy, ethics, and confidentiality issues. Register here.

Guiding and monitoring data sharing

To make it easier for Scheme participants to use the DATA Scheme, we have published new guidance about the purposes for which data can be shared under the Scheme. We have also updated the Guide to Registering Data Sharing Agreements to include new information on lodging a data sharing agreement for registration.

With the increase in requests, we are monitoring the timely handling of data requests by Australian Government agencies. Our guidance is that Data Custodians decide within 28 days of receiving the request to agree in principle to collaborate on a data sharing agreement (“in principle approval”) or refuse a request. A decision to refuse a request must be exercised reasonably and for a proper purpose. Data Custodians must give written notice of a decision to refuse no later than 28 days after the day the decision to refuse is made. The ONDC is supporting Data Custodians to meet their obligations in line with our guidance and data sharing fact sheet. Get in touch for more information.

Good read for the data community

The Review of the Data Availability and Transparency Act 2022 has issued its draft findings and recommendations. The Review considers the DAT Act should be retained but that amendments are required to ensure that more data sharing and public benefit can occur safely and easily, and that entities which demonstrate capability and trustworthiness can more reliably access and use data in the public interest. These findings will shape the next phase of the DATA Scheme. Please read the interim report and contribute feedback.

Good use of public data

To see many good uses of public data, take a look at the papers from the recent joint conference hosted by the Australian Bureau of Statistics and the Reserve Bank of Australia focused on Australia’s housing challenges.

If you have feedback or something to share in future editions of DataPoints, please get in touch. We are always interested to hear how you have used data to deliver public benefit. Also, make sure to follow us on LinkedIn!

Gayle