The Hon Amanda Rishworth MP
Minister for Social Services
Member for Kingston
The Hon Bill Shorten MP
Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme
Minister for Government Services
Member for Maribyrnong
The delivery of a National Disability Data Asset is now a reality with all states and territories committed to take part.
The NDDA will improve research, policy development, service delivery and ensure Government funding is best targeted to achieve outcomes for people with disability and the disability community.
For the first time in Australia, the NDDA will deliver a single source of information combining Commonwealth, state and territory data on people with disability
It will deliver better, more responsive services for people who need them and provide a more holistic picture of people with disability to best understand their needs and meet their goals.
It will include information on people with disability relating to employment, health, education and the support services that are accessed, among other key markers.
The Asset has been called for by people with disability who have said it is important to improve their human rights, government services and policies.
The NDDA will be co-governed between Commonwealth, state and territory governments, along with the disability community and will have strong ethical oversight and privacy protections in place.
The Commonwealth has committed a total of $68.3 million for the analysis, research and delivery of the NDDA.
Included in that funding is support of up to $1.36 million for each state and territory government for their role in delivering data. Funding to the States will follow the signing of bilateral agreements.
Minister for Social Services Amanda Rishworth thanked Disability Ministers from each state and territory who have now signed on to share data and deliver the Asset to benefit people with disability, their families and carers.
"With the agreement of all jurisdictions to share data, all governments can now begin the exciting work of building the National Disability Data Asset," Minister Rishworth said.
"By bringing together data from across Australia, we can build a more complete picture of the life experiences of Australians with disability and gain a richer understanding of their specific needs and goals.
"We will have a strong national evidence base that will inform smarter policy, better services and supports, and improved outcomes in areas like employment, health and education. The lives of people with disability will be improved by this asset."
Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme Bill Shorten said the transfer of data into the Asset will guide more effective investment to better support people with disability, including greater economic and social participation, so that every dollar goes further to achieve their goals.
"People with disability will always be at the centre of policy our Government makes in this space and this Asset will help us to deliver outcomes for them - but importantly - with them too," Minister Shorten said.
"People with disability have been integral in the design of the Asset and it will be governed in partnership with the disability community. This is really important work and will revolutionise the way we support Australians with disability."
The Asset will be Australia's most comprehensive disability data hub, connecting de-identified information from different government agencies to better understand the current experiences, issues and needs of people with disability.
It will be integral to achieving all governments' commitments under Australia's Disability Strategy 2021-31 to better measure, track and report on outcomes for people with disability.
The first results from the National Disability Data Asset will be available in 2024.
The Asset is expected to be fully operational in 2026.
