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ARTICLE · 13 APRIL 2022

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New Australian Government data sharing legislation commences

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The scheme set out in the DAT Act was introduced to allow greater flexibility in sharing public sector data.

AustraliaPrivacy
Elizabeth Carroll
Elizabeth Carroll
Lachlan Speak
Lachlan Speak
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The Data Availability and Transparency Act 2022  (DAT Act) establishes a legislative scheme for sharing Australian Government data. A new mechanism for sharing public sector data was recommended by the Productivity Commissioner in 2017, and the Government has been consulting on such a scheme since mid-2018.

The scheme set out in the DAT Act was introduced to the Australian Parliament on 9 December 2020 to allow greater flexibility in sharing public sector data.

Relevantly, the Bill's Explanatory Memorandum (Explanatory Memorandum) provides that:

"Reforms are necessary to realise the benefits of greater data availability and use identified by a Productivity Commission inquiry, supporting economic and research opportunities and the Government's vision for streamlined and efficient service delivery."1

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