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 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 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 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.

The ABS and AIHW have developed the underlying infrastructure for the National Disability Data Asset. This system is called the Australian National Data Integration Infrastructure (ANDII).

The ANDII is a national linkage and integration infrastructure that includes a national spine and linkage model. It enables data governance and streamlined data sharing arrangements that enable the creation of data assets. The ANDII is also an ICT solution, supported by linkage and analytical capabilities. The ANDII ICT solution is a cloud based system 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 could reduce the time taken to build other integrated data assets on other important policy issues. 

The ANDII ensures 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 and ethical oversight arrangements are in place, including the 2023 Privacy Impact Assessment and 2024 Australian Institute of Health and Welfare Ethics Committee approval. All data will be handled in accordance with Australia’s Privacy Act 1988.

In 2024, the ABS completed a Privacy Assessment for the use of ABS Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers data in the NDDA. A summary of NDDA privacy materials is on the ABS Privacy Impact Assessments webpage. 

More information about privacy is available at Privacy for the National Disability Data Asset.

Data sharing agreements for the NDDA and ANDII are listed on the Office of National Data Commissioner’s Data Sharing Agreement Register.

For questions about NDDA contact ndda@dss.gov.au.

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