About
Data.gov.au provides an easy way to find, access and reuse public datasets from the Australian Government and state and territory governments. The main purpose of the site is to encourage public access to and reuse of government data by providing it in useful formats and under open licences. It was created following the Government’s Declaration of Open Government and response to the Government 2.0 Taskforce.
The site provides both downloadable datasets and, in some cases, links to other data catalogues or sources. Improving the quantity and quality of the site’s data will be an ongoing process. You can leave feedback on data by leaving a comment or rating on the data pages, and can also suggest data that you believe should be made available on the site. Other upgrades and new features will also be made to the site over time.
The datasets provided through data.gov.au have been created by many different government agencies. Consequently, we cannot guarantee the quality or timeliness of the datasets. While we welcome your feedback, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to correct any problems identified with the datasets. For more information see our Terms of Use.
The Department of Finance and Deregulation is responsible for the development and ongoing operation of this site.
Help
The content below will be updated over time to reflect frequently asked questions. If you can’t find the answer to your question here, contact us and we will endeavour to answer it for you.
How do I use data.gov.au?
Browse through all the datasets in the catalogue or use the search box to find something more specific. Datasets have been tagged and sorted into categories to help you find the dataset you’re after – select a category to see all the datasets in that group.
What data formats are used?
Many of the datasets are provided in a compressed (zipped) format. Once uncompressed (unzipped), the dataset may be in one or more of the following file formats:
| Extension | Description |
|---|---|
| CSV/XLS | Comma-Separated Value Lists / Excel spreadsheet |
| TXT | Raw Text files |
| XML | eXtensible Markup Language |
| RDF | Resource Description Framework, used for modelling information |
| KML/KMZ | Keyhole markup language, suitable for viewing in Google Earth, Google Maps or other supported applications |
| Shapefiles | ESRI shapefile overlays (spatial data) |
| Catalogue | For example, an listing of agency holdings |
Other file formats may also be provided over time.
Can I use the data for anything I want?
You can use the data for anything allowed by the data licence. You can find information about the terms of the licence in the Dataset Information section of each dataset. Details on how to reference the dataset can be found in the Contributing Agency Information section under Citation. If you have any questions, contact the contributing agency.
Why isn’t the full data set available from Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) for My School 2.0?
ACARA is a Commonwealth statutory authority which is directed by federal, state and territory governments through the Ministerial Council for Education, Early Childhood Development and Youth Affairs (MCEECDYA). Providing the full My School 2.0 data set to the public may have privacy implications and conflicts with MCEECDYA’s policy directions (See the Principles and Protocols for Reporting on Schooling in Australia).
MCEECDYA has asked ACARA to develop protocols and procedures to manage National Assessment Program data and ministers have agreed that measures should be taken to avoid the publication of simplistic league tables. Providing the full data set would not be consistent with this direction.
