Page 148 - Invited Paper Session (IPS) - Volume 2

IPS193 Michael Beahan
Greater use and sharing of public data facilitates opportunities for enhanced
productivity, increased competition, improved delivery of government services
and research outcomes.
Many high priority public policy challenges, such as homelessness, climate
change, and crime, do not fit neatly within one ministerial portfolio or a single
agency’s set of responsibilities. Similarly, the information needed to address
complex policy issues and research questions are often spread across a
number of agencies.
Analysis of integrated datasets offers valuable opportunities to investigate
more complex and expanded policy and research questions than would be
possible using only separate, unlinked data sources. Data integration can
produce new official statistics to inform society.
Data integration can reduce the need for costly collections by better
leveraging existing data to meet current and emerging information
requirements. Maximising the use of existing data, rather than establishing
new collections, avoids additional load on respondents, helps to ensure cost-
effectiveness and can improve timeliness. Data integration is therefore a key
strategy for maximising governments’ investments in existing information
assets.
An exemplar of this new approach to data sharing is the Multi-Agency
Data Integration Project.

Multi-Agency Data Integration Project (MADIP)
The Multi-Agency Data Integration Project (MADIP) is a partnership
among Australian Government agencies to combine information on
healthcare, education, government payments, personal income tax, and the
Census to create a comprehensive picture of Australia over time.
Authorised researchers can use unidentified MADIP data to look at
patterns and trends in the Australian population; and provide insight into the
effectiveness of government policies, programs, and services. MADIP
demonstrates how combining existing public data can help target services
(such as healthcare) to the people and communities who need them.
MADIP is a core component of the Australian Government’s Data
Integration Partnership for Australia (DIPA). There are six Commonwealth
agencies working together on the project:
 Australian Bureau of Statistics
 Australian Taxation Office
 Department of Education and Training
 Department of Health
 Department of Human Services
 Department of Social Services.

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