Safeguarding data and protecting privacy is a priority for the disability data asset. Governments, people with disability and the wider disability community are working together to develop the disability asset and decide how the disability data asset can be used. Safeguards are in place to ensure the disability data asset is used to help improve outcomes for people with disability.
How is the data kept safe?
The Australian Bureau of Statistics and Australian Institute of Health and Welfare are making sure that there are strong privacy and data protections in place. They will make sure the disability data asset:
- protects privacy. This includes making sure information used for analysis is de-identified. This means personal information (including names and addresses) will be removed.
- keeps data secure in line with the Australian Government Data Sharing Principles (based on the Five Safes Framework)
- meets legal requirements
- can only be accessed by authorised people.
How is privacy checked?
A Privacy Impact Assessment (or PIA) for the National Disability Data Asset and the Australian National Data Integration Infrastructure was completed by privacy experts in 2023. The Australian National Data Integration Infrastructure is the underlying system that allows us to connect and analyse data in the disability data asset.
The 2023 Privacy Impact Assessment:
- checked the disability data asset and its underlying system is in line with privacy laws, including the Australian Privacy Act 1988
- noted any privacy risks and ways we can reduce risk
- helps us to manage any privacy risks and impacts of the project
- checked how the disability data asset protects personal information.
There were four privacy documents produced as part of the 2023 Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA). These include:
- Summary of the 2023 Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) report
- Summary of the 2023 Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) consultation report
- Government response to the 2023 Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA)
- Privacy Statement
They are available in Auslan, Easy Read, plain language and different languages. For a copy of the privacy documents in braille please contact ndda@dss.gov.au.
Where can I learn more about privacy?
More information on privacy for the National Disability Data Asset can be found in the privacy statement and other privacy documents linked on this page.
National Disability Data Asset animation – video about the disability data asset and how data is protected.
- Youtube video
- Youtube video with Auslan
- Animation Video: Descriptive audio version (PDF 100 kB) (Word 30kB)
Privacy Statement – how we share information to create the disability data asset and how the data will be used, in line with privacy laws.
Summary of the 2023 Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) report – what the privacy experts found and recommended about privacy.
Summary of the 2023 Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) consultation report – what people told us about privacy.
Government response to the 2023 Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) – how we are addressing the recommendations in the Privacy Impact Assessment
These privacy documents are also available in:
- Easy Read
- Auslan
- Different Languages – Arabic, Chinese (Simplified and Traditional), Italian, Korean, Spanish, Turkish, Vietnamese
The Privacy statement outlines how we respond to privacy queries and complaints.