Data governance resources

The following resources can also be found in Attachment C of the Australian Government Data Governance Framework.

Legal and policy obligations

Legislation and policies guide how government agencies manage and protect data. Some examples include:

• Storing and accessing government records - Archives Act 1983 .
• Collection and use of statistics - legislative framework for the Australian Bureau of Statistics Act 1975 .
• Governance of health and welfare data - Australian Institute of Health and Welfare Act 1987 .
• National data collection rules - Census and Statistics Act 1905 .
• Safely sharing data across government - Data Availability and Transparency Act 2022 .
• Court-related data rules - Federal Court of Australia Act 1976 .
• Public access to government-held information - Freedom of Information Act 1982 .
• Privacy rights and protections - Privacy Act 1988 .
• Critical infrastructure protections - Security of Critical Infrastructure Act 2018 .
• Office of the Australian Information Commissioner
  • Managing and reporting serious data breaches - Notifiable Data Breaches Scheme.
  • Rules on handling personal information - Australian Privacy Principles.

Key governance resources

Tools and frameworks support strong data governance across government.

• Lessons from government audits on data management - Insights: Audit Lessons – Governance of Data on the Australian National Audit Office website.
• Skills needed for data roles in the public service - APS Data Capability Framework on the Australian Public Service Commission website.
• Career paths in data professions - Data Profession on the Australian Public Service Professions website.
• Finding and accessing public datasets - Australian Government Data Catalogue on the Office of the National Data Commissioner website.
• The Australian Government’s digital transformation goals - Data and Digital Government Strategy Data and Digital website.
• Governing Indigenous data respectfully - Framework for Governance of Indigenous Data on the National Indigenous Australians Agency website.
• Cybersecurity guidance - Information Security Manual on the Government's Cyber website.
• Physical and digital security requirements - Protective Security Policy Framework on the Protective Security website.
• Building public trust in data use - Building trust in the public record on the National Archives of Australia website.
• Department of Finance
  • Senior executive responsibilities for data - SES Accountabilities for Data.
  • Assessing your agency’s data capability - Data Maturity Assessment Tool.

General data resources

General resources support broader data management, ethics, and innovation.

• Australian Bureau of Statistics
  • Describing and organising data - Metadata.
  • Safe data sharing practices - Five Safes Framework.
• Department of Finance
  • Support for Chief Data Officers - Chief Data Officer Information Pack.
  • Ethical decision - making in data use - Data Ethics Framework.
  • Cross-government data sharing - Intergovernmental Agreement on Data Sharing.
  • AI assurance in government - National framework for the assurance of artificial intelligence in government.
• Department of Industry, Science and Resources
  • Ethical principles for AI - Australia’s Artificial Intelligence Ethics Principles.
  • Department of Industry, Science and Resources data strategy - Data Strategy 2021 - 2024.
  • Voluntary AI safety standards - Voluntary AI Safety Standard.
  • Artificial intelligence - Promoting safe and responsible AI.
• National Archives of Australia
  • Metadata requirements - Mapping the ONDC and National Archives' metadata requirements.
  • Metadata standards for recordkeeping - Australian Government Recordkeeping Metadata Standard.
  • Agency data practices check-up - Check-up survey.
  • Data governance and management - Data governance and management.
  • Managing and disposing of data - Retaining, managing and disposing of data and datasets.
  • Data interoperability and exchanging data between systems - Data Interoperability Maturity Model.
  • Developing an information management strategy - Developing an enterprise-wide information management strategy.
• Office of the Australian Information Commissioner
  • Government data matching - Government data matching.
  • Privacy in data analytics - Guide to data analytics and the Australian Privacy Principles.
  • Privacy rules for government agencies - Australian Government Agencies Privacy Code.
• Office of the National Data Commissioner
  • Key data definitions - Data Discovery Resources.
  • Foundational guidance for data sharing - Foundational Four.
  • List of entities accredited under the Data Availability and Transparency scheme - Accredited Entity Register.
  • Principles for safe data sharing - Share Data.
  • Government data tools and guidance - Resources.
  • Metadata attributes - Guide on Metadata Attributes.
• Australian Government Digital website
  • AI use in government - Artificial intelligence in government.
  • Responsible AI use in government - Artificial intelligence in government.
• New South Wales Government
  • Recordkeeping risks - Records, information and data risks.
  • New South Wales Government open data - New South Wales Government's Data.
  • The New South Wales Government’s data governance toolkit - Data Governance Toolkit.
• Queensland Government
  • Mining and exploration data - Geological Survey of Queensland Open Data Portal.
  • Data governance guidance for Queensland agencies - Data Governance Guidelines.
  • Queensland Government open data - Queensland Government's Data website.
• The Victorian Government’s data policies and standards - Data policies and standards on the Victorian Government website.
• Data catalogues - Datahub website.
• Secure hosting requirements - Hosting Certification website.
• Ethical research practices - National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research 2023 on the National Health and Medical Research Council website.
• Standards for managing AI systems - Information technology - Artificial intelligence - Management system on the International Standards Organisation website.
• Secure digital trade - Digital Trade Strategy on the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade website.
• Discover and access Victorian Government open data - Victorian Government's Data website.
• International data sharing policies - Publications on the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development website.
• Strategic goals for health and welfare data - Strategic directions 2022–2026 on the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare website.
• Best practices for using data - Advancing trust in data see Open Data Institute.
• Managing data risks - Risk on the Australian Government's Data website.
• Secure system design - Secure by Design Foundations on the Australian Cyber Security Centre website.
• Global data governance practices - Data Governance Institute website.
• Voluntary data classification guidance - Voluntary Data Classification Framework on the Department of Home Affairs website.