DATA AND DIGITAL MINISTERS MEETING
COMMUNIQUÉ
4 September 2026
The following Data and Digital Ministers met today by videoconference:
- Senator the Hon Katy Gallagher (Commonwealth)
- The Hon Enver Erdogan MP (Victoria)
- The Hon Steven Minnikin MP (Queensland)
- The Hon Chris Picton MP (South Australia)
- The Honourable Felix Ellis MP (Tasmania)
- Ms Rachel Stephen-Smith MLA (Australian Capital Territory)
- The Hon Joshua Burgoyne MLA (Northern Territory)
The Hon Jihad Dib MP (New South Wales), the Hon Stephen Dawson MLC (Western Australia) and the Hon Paul Goldsmith MP (New Zealand) were apologies for the meeting and were represented by officials. The Hon Michelle Rowland MP (Commonwealth Attorney-General), the Hon Anika Wells MP, Ms Dot West OAM, Dr Lyndon Ormond-Parker and Ms Ellie Sweeney (CEO, NBN Co) also attended the meeting.
Digital Inclusion
Ministers agreed the National Device Reuse Principles to support secure, sustainable and socially beneficial reuse of government ICT devices. Ministers noted that increasing government device donation can help improve access to digital technology for vulnerable groups and support broader efforts to address digital inclusion challenges across Australia.
Ministers supported work being led by Minister Wells and NBN Co to support affordable, appropriate connectivity solutions for remote First Nations communities. Ministers noted progress under the First Nations Digital Inclusion Roadmap and priorities identified by the First Nations Digital Inclusion Advisory Group. Ministers committed to engage with the refresh of Target 17 of the National Agreement on Closing the Gap. This Target aims for equal levels of digital inclusion for First Nations Australians by 2026.
National Strategy for Identity Resilience
Ministers considered opportunities for greater voluntary adoption of the Credential Protection Register in their jurisdictions to mitigate the risks of identity crime. Attorney-General Rowland advised Ministers that updates to the Credential Protection Register meet medium-term objectives in the National Strategy for Identity Resilience agreed by Ministers in 2023.
Ministers noted identity crime costs Australians approximately $3.1 billion annually, and compromised credentials such as passports or driver's licences can be used to cause harm. The Attorney-General advised Ministers the Credential Protection Register reduces identity crime by blocking verification of compromised identity documents and has successfully blocked over 830,000 fraudulent identity verification requests since 2022.
Intergovernmental Agreement on Data Sharing and National Data Sharing Work Program
Ministers agreed to commence the five-year review of National Cabinet’s Intergovernmental Agreement on Data Sharing and endorsed the Terms of Reference for the review.
Ministers welcomed progress under the fifth National Data Sharing Work Program projects, with project outcomes and a review of the performance of the work program to be provided to Ministers before the end of 2026.
Government response to the Statutory Review of the Data Availability and Transparency Act 2022
Ministers discussed the findings and recommendations of the statutory review of the Data Availability and Transparency Act 2022. Ministers noted the Review found that the Act has not achieved its core objective of enabling greater data sharing, reflecting its complexity and prescriptive design. Ministers noted that no data has been shared under the Act.
Ministers also discussed opportunities to improve access to, and reuse of, public sector data and greater data sharing across jurisdictions to improve the delivery of services to the Australian public.
National Disability Data Asset (NDDA) and Australian National Data Integration Infrastructure (ANDII)
Ministers agreed DDMM would be briefed on implications for the Multilateral Data Sharing Agreement and the ANDII Board arising from the Government response to the Statutory Review of the Data Availability and Transparency Act 2022. Ministers noted the decision by Disability Reform Ministers to pivot to a new delivery model for the NDDA.
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.
