DATA AND DIGITAL MINISTERS MEETING
COMMUNIQUÉ
7 FEBRUARY 2025
The following Data and Digital Ministers met today by videoconference:
- Senator the Hon Katy Gallagher (Commonwealth)
- The Hon Natalie Hutchins MP (Victoria)
- The Hon Steve Minnikin MP (Queensland)
- The Hon Stephen Mullighan MP (South Australia)
- The Hon Madeleine Ogilvie MP (Tasmania)
- Ms Rachel Stephen-Smith MLA (Australian Capital Territory)
- The Hon Josh Burgoyne MLA (Northern Territory)
The Hon Mark Dreyfus KC MP also attended the meeting.
The Hon Jihad Dib MP (New South Wales) and the Hon Judith Collins KC MP (New Zealand) were apologies for the meeting. Ministers noted the Western Australian Government is in a caretaker period. These jurisdictions were represented by officials.
Priorities for 2025
Ministers agreed their priorities for 2025, which include:
- continuing to deliver a secure, convenient, voluntary and inclusive Digital ID and verifiable credentials experience for citizens
- leading reforms to intergovernmental data sharing in accordance with National Cabinet’s Intergovernmental Agreement on Data Sharing
- reforming digital service delivery to make it easier for people to find and do what they need to across all levels of government
Members also agreed to focus on opportunities to collaborate on emerging technologies.
Family and Domestic Violence
Data and Digital Ministers provided advice to National Cabinet on 6 September 2024 regarding how to improve information sharing about perpetrators of gender-based violence across systems and jurisdictions. Ministers welcomed an update on work to improve information sharing about perpetrators of gender-based violence following the National Cabinet meeting.
All jurisdictions remain committed to improving information sharing to enable early intervention and stop violence escalating.
National Data Sharing Work Program
Under National Cabinet’s Intergovernmental Agreement on Data Sharing, Data and Digital Ministers are responsible for agreeing and overseeing a National Data Sharing Work Program to improve data sharing between governments. Ministers agreed the fourth Work Program will include projects to:
- produce national guidance to enable best-practice family and domestic violence information sharing
- define ‘trusted entities’ for the purposes of national data sharing
- create foundational infrastructure for a national location spine
Making data sharing easier
Effective data sharing is required to fully realise the opportunity of national data integration initiatives like the National Disability Data Asset and its underlying infrastructure, the Australian National Data Integration Infrastructure (ANDII).
Ministers considered advice from the ANDII Board regarding ways the Data Availability and Transparency Act 2022 (DAT Act) could work better for state and territory governments. This advice will inform the Commonwealth statutory review of the DAT Act set to commence by April 2025.
Digital ID and Verifiable Credentials
Building on the Digital ID and Verifiable Credentials Strategy agreed in June 2024, Ministers noted collaboration is ongoing across all jurisdictions to support Digital ID work economy wide and to progress work on interoperable verifiable credentials.
Ministers noted the Commonwealth’s Digital ID Act 2024 commenced on 1 December 2024 and establishes the Australian Government Digital ID System and an Accreditation Scheme for Digital ID services.
Digital inclusion
Ministers agreed digital inclusion priorities for 2025, including a national approach to reuse of government devices, building connectivity literacy and supporting the digital needs of victims and survivors of family and domestic violence.
Cyber Security
Ministers welcomed an update on implementation of the 2023-2030 Australian Cyber Security Strategy and the outcomes of the ‘Act Now, Stay Secure’ cyber security campaign. Ministers noted the launch of a ‘Ransomware Playbook’, which provides guidance on how to prepare for, respond to and recover from a ransomware incident. For more information, visit https://www.cyber.gov.au/ransomware-playbook.
National Life Events Program
Ministers noted work is underway to develop a cross-jurisdictional 5-year roadmap to make it easier for people to find and do what they need to across all levels of government. Included in this work is published checklists in myGov centred on life events. The first of these is focused on the life event of ‘having a baby’ and can be found at https://my.gov.au/en/services/raising-kids/having-a-baby.
New Zealand is not a party to this communiqué.
Information on the Data and Digital Ministers Meeting, including previous meeting communiqués, can be found at www.finance.gov.au/government/public-data/data-and-digital-ministers-meeting.
