PLIDA data and legislation

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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) over time. PLIDA data supports government decision making and academic research.

The ABS is the Accredited Integrating Authority for PLIDA, collecting and combining datasets and providing access to authorised researchers. PLIDA includes administrative data shared with the ABS and ABS survey data.

The ABS is committed to transparency and openness about data included in PLIDA. This web page provides more information about the laws authorising data sharing for PLIDA and the datasets included in PLIDA.

Legislative Authority

The ABS collects data for PLIDA from a range of different data custodians. Government agencies need permission and powers (legislative authority) to share data with the ABS.

The ABS is authorised to collect, compile, analyse, and publish statistics under the Australian Bureau of Statistics Act 1975 and the Census and Statistics Act 1905. In particular, the ABS is authorised by these laws to:

  • undertake surveys and the Census
  • collect information from other data custodians
  • link Census data and other information
  • produce statistics for analysis
  • publish statistical outputs.

In accordance with the Australian Bureau of Statistics Act 1975, the ABS maximises the value of data we hold while keeping it safe and secure.

The ABS protects privacy and is committed to keeping PLIDA data safe and secure. PLIDA data is protected by the secrecy provisions of the Census and Statistics Act 1905. This means that the ABS cannot release PLIDA data in a way that is likely to identify an individual. For more information about how we protect your privacy, please see Keeping integrated data safe and Privacy at the ABS.

Each data custodian shares data with the ABS for PLIDA lawfully. Legislative authority for sharing may come from the data custodian’s:

  • establishing legislation
  • legislation relating to the original collection of the data
  • specific data sharing legislation
  • other legislation.

Further detailed information on data sharing for PLIDA is available in the 2022 PLIDA Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) update. You can find out more from the PLIDA/MADIP Privacy Impact Assessment page or the PIA reports published to the ABS Privacy Impact Assessments web page.

Data in PLIDA

PLIDA evolves to include new and updated sources of data. The ABS only links data to PLIDA that are reasonably necessary for an approved purpose.

The ABS collects two broad types of information for PLIDA: 

  • Linkage information - which usually includes personal identifiers such as name, sex/gender, address, and date of birth. This information is only used to link the datasets together; it is not used for analytical purposes.
  • Analytical information - which includes variables of interest for analysis, such as occupation, income and health services use. Some linkage data may be used for analytical purposes with appropriate confidentiality treatments applied (for example, sex/gender, address).

Datasets can have either an enduring or once-off link to PLIDA. Enduring data linkages are available for analysis by authorised researchers. The ABS works with data custodians to keep enduring data linkages up to date on a regular schedule.

Researchers can propose once-off data linkages to PLIDA for a specific project. The ABS retains once-off data linkages for as long as required for approved projects. Data custodians may also approve the reuse of once-off linkages for further projects. The PLIDA Board may sometimes approve once-off linkages to become an enduring linkage.

For more detail on what enduring data is available for analysis by authorised researchers, see the PLIDA Modular Product.

Current data in PLIDA

The lists below describe the datasets currently linked to PLIDA and the laws authorising sharing data with the ABS. We update these lists twice a year.

Approved researchers can access current PLIDA data to:

  • undertake research and evaluation activities
  • improve the efficiency and effectiveness of government services
  • make policy decisions.

PLIDA can also be integrated with Business Longitudinal Analysis Data Environment (BLADE) datasets for approved projects.

You can find out more about how researchers use current PLIDA data from the PLIDA / MADIP Research Projects, PLIDA / MADIP Case Studies and Data Integration Project Register web pages.

Commonwealth government data

Australian Bureau of Statistics

Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare

Australian Taxation Office

Department of Defence and Department of Veterans’ Affairs

Department of Education and Department of Employment and Workplace Relations

Department of Health and Aged Care

Department of Home Affairs

Department of Social Services

National Disability Insurance Agency

Services Australia

State and territory government data

State and Territory Registrars of Births, Death, and Marriages

New South Wales (NSW) Government

Queensland (QLD) Government

Government of South Australia (SA)

Victorian (VIC) Government

Private sector data

Australian and New Zealand Intensive Care Society

New types of data in PLIDA

The PLIDA Board and ABS periodically consider linking new types of data to PLIDA where there is a strong public benefit.

The decision to include or not include a new type of data in PLIDA is informed by consideration of the:

  • public benefit and utility of linking the data
  • types of information within the dataset and restrictions on use
  • impact of including the dataset on the size and nature of the overall PLIDA asset.

The PLIDA Board and ABS are committed to transparency and openness about linking new types of data to PLIDA. When considering proposals for new types of data, the ABS takes extra steps to ensure transparency. These extra steps include:

  • providing notice to the public of the proposal
  • publishing the decision to link the new type of data, and reasons for that decision.

The ABS also applies a robust framework of protections for integrating data. We describe these protections in more detail on the Keeping integrated data safe web page.

You can find out more about current proposals to link new types of data, as well as past proposals and decisions, below. The ABS welcomes your feedback on new types of data being considered for inclusion in PLIDA. For enquiries, please email data.integration.privacy@abs.gov.au.

Current proposals

There are no current proposals to link a new type of data with PLIDA.

Past proposals and decisions for new types of data

Private sector health data