Sharing of data originating from the Australian Government agencies to support creation of, and updates to, the National Linkage Spine, the National Linkage Map and dual-use variables for the Australian National Data Integration Infrastructure

DSR-03110
In Effect
Project title
Sharing of data originating from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, the Department of Health and Aged Care, the Department of Social Services and Services Australia to support creation of, and updates to, the National Linkage Spine, the National Linkage Map and dual-use variables for the Australian National Data Integration Infrastructure.
Agreement date
Registration date
Data sharing purposes
Informing government policy and programs
Research and development
Data Custodian
Australian Bureau of Statistics
Additional custodians
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare
Data requestor
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare
Australian Bureau of Statistics
Accredited Data Service Providers
Australian Bureau of Statistics

Description and public interest statement

The Australian National Data Integration Infrastructure (ANDII) comprises a National Linkage Spine, National Linkage Model, data governance and streamlined data sharing agreements. 

The Australian Bureau of Statistics and the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare are partnering to design, develop, and deliver the ANDII. The National Disability Data Asset is the first use of the ANDII and is led by the Australian Government Department of Social Services and is overseen by the Disability Reform Ministerial Council.

Public Interest Statement

Delivery of the ANDII will enable creation of domain assets to integrate data across jurisdictions and data domains to provide new information and insights by building more complete views of characteristics, circumstances, and outcomes for the community.

Analysis of integrated data allows insights to be drawn that are not possible from analysis of a single dataset, deepening the understanding of important policy issues and improving policy and program design. Linking data from multiple sources can provide new insights into how people interact across multiple support services and programs. This information will help improve programs and services for Australians.

Description of shared data

National Linkage Spine research and development

The National Linkage Spine research and development data has been created by integrating Medicare Consumer Directory and Data Over Multiple Individual Occurrences Centrelink administrative data.
Sensitivities
  • Personal information

Data Over Multiple Individual Occurrences data 

The Data Over Multiple Individual Occurrences data contains de-identified information about persons who report to Centrelink.

Data provider: Department of Social Services
Sensitivities
  • Personal information

Medicare Consumer Directory data

Medicare Consumer Directory linkage data contains linkage information for consumers with a Medicare program entitlement.

Data providers:
• Department of Health and Aged Care
• Services Australia
Sensitivities
  • Personal information

National Linkage Map (research and development)

National Linkage Map research and development has been created from the National Linkage Spine.
Sensitivities
  • No

Subset of Australian Bureau of Statistics Linkage Map

The Australian Bureau of Statistics Linkage Map has been created for other Australian Bureau of Statistics integration project such as Person Level Integrated Data Asset and describes the relationship for records in the Australian Bureau of Statistics Spine and the corresponding dataset or datasets that record has been linked to.
Sensitivities
  • No

The Data Over Multiple Individual Occurrences scoping flags 

The Data Over Multiple Individual Occurrences scoping flags list de-identified person identifiers.
Sensitivities
  • No

Subsets of Australian Institute of Health and Welfare Linkage Map

The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare Linkage Map has been created to support Australian Institute of Health and Welfare data integration projects. It describes relationships between records in the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare spine and records in content datasets that have been linked to that spine.

Data providers:
• Department of Health and Aged Care
• Services Australia
Sensitivities
  • No

Legislation overridden

  • Census and Statistics Act 1905 (Cth) 
  • Social Security Administration Act 1999 (Cth) 
  • A New Tax System (Family Assistance) Administration Act 1999 (Cth) 
  • Student Assistance Act 1973 (Cth)
  • Paid Parental Leave Act 2010 (Cth) 
  • Health Insurance Act 1973 (Cth) 
  • National Health Act 1953 (Cth) 
  • Australian Immunisation Register Act 2015 (Cth)
  • Australian Institute of Health and Welfare Act 1987 (Cth)
  • National Disability Insurance Scheme Act 2013 (Cth)

Privacy obligations

The Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) applies to the use of final outputs for this project. Individuals may make complaints about use that is inconsistent with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) to the Australian Information Commissioner.

Outputs

National Linkage Spine

The National Linkage Spine (NLS) brings together personal information (including names and addresses) that provide high quality coverage of the Australian population to facilitate matching of records for the same person wherever they appear in the linked datasets. De-identified person identifiers are assigned to each unique record and these are used to create the National Linkage Map.

National Linkage Map

The National Linkage Map (NL Map) describes how the NLS and all the datasets and assets linked to it are connected. The results from linking data to the NLS will produce the NL Map.

Dual use variables

This final output consists of dual use variables that will be produced from ADSP-enhanced data. This final output contains variables that are consistent across linkage and content data files and are required for analysis purposes. Examples of these dual use variables may be sex and age, both of which are required for linkage purposes but also to produce analysis.

Additional information

Personal Information Consent Statement

Obtaining consent to use personal information would be unreasonable and impractical as it would require significant resources to request consent for more than 30 million records. This would be excessively burdensome for both the Australian Bureau of Statistics and the broader Australian community, particularly in consideration of the benefits the ANDII seeks to provide.

Variation 001 registered on 21 October 2024. The details varied affect the following sections:

  • Addition of Australian Institute of Health and Welfare as a Data Custodian.
  • Addition of Australian Institute of Health and Welfare Linkage Map Specified Data.
  • Legislation overridden - removal of Australian Bureau of Statistics Act 1975 (Cth) and addition of Australian Institute of Health and Welfare Act 1987 (Cth).

The Office of the National Data Commissioner acknowledges the Traditional Owners and Custodians of Country throughout Australia and acknowledges their continuing connection to land, waters and community. We pay our respects to the people, the cultures and the Elders past, present and emerging.