Glossary

Analytical Services

The study, analysis, modelling, research or evaluation of Tier Two Data.

Approved Analyst

The Project Team or a person (including a research or analyst) that:

1. has been approved by the Project Team to provide Analytical Services for and on behalf of the Project Team
2. Is under a contractual obligation to comply with the Privacy and Personal Information Protection Act 1998 (NSW) (PPIP) and Health Records and Information Privacy Act 2002 (NSW) (HRIP) to the extent modified by the PID and HPID.

Australian Data Linkage Agency

A Commonwealth agency within the meaning of section 3(1) of the PPIP Act that provides data linkage services in accordance with the PIDs.

For the Project this includes, for example, the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS)

DAC

NSW Data Analytics Centre

Data Analytics Entity

A data analytics entity or function that is operated by a Public Sector Agency (that is compliant with the current NSW Government Cyber Security Policy, and that is engaged by the Project Team to undertake Analytical Services for the Project, or other such entity that is under a contractual obligation to comply with the PPIP/HRIP Act to the extent modified by the PIDs.

For the Project this includes, for example Taylor Fry Consulting Actuaries and the DAC.

Data Linkage Centre

A data linkage service or function that is operated by a Public Sector Agency that is compliant with the current NSW Government Cyber Security Policy, and that is engaged by the Project Team to undertake data linkage for the Project.

For the Project, this is the Centre for Health Record Linkage (CHeReL) within the NSW Ministry of Health.

DP&G Team

Data Governance & Privacy Team originally within SCIU and now within FACSIAR.

FACSIAR

Family and Community Services Insights Analysis and Research, currently the HSDS Governance and Privacy Team operates as the Project Team.

Health Information

Health information means, unless otherwise prescribed:

1. personal information that is information or an opinion about:
   • the physical or mental health or a disability (at any time) of an individual, or
   • an individual’s express wishes about the future provision of health services to him or her, or
   • a health service provided, or to be provided, to an individual, or
2. other personal information collected to provide, or in providing, a health service, or
3. other personal information about an individual collected in connection with the donation, or intended donation, of an individual’s body parts, organs or body substances, or
4. other personal information that is genetic information about an individual arising from a health service provided to the individual in a form that is or could be predictive of the health (at any time) of the individual or of a genetic relative of the individual, or
5. healthcare identifiers.
   (HRIP Act, s 6)

HPID

1. Health Public Interest Direction under section 62(1) of the HRIP Act in relation to the “Their Futures Matter” project

HRIP Act

Health Records and Information Privacy Act 2002 (NSW)

HSDS

The Human Services Dataset

HSDGAC

Human Services Dataset Governance Advisory Committee

Identifier Information

Core identifying information, such as names and addresses.

Information Protection Gates

The privacy verification process and checks that will be undertaken by the Data Analytics Entity or an Approved Analyst in accordance with the PID and HPID and before information held by the Data Analytics Entity or an Approved Analyst is externally released or disclosed to:

1. ensure compliance with this Direction;
2. ensure that only de-identified information is released or disclosed to a third party; and
3. prevent re-identification of information by a third party, including a Participating Agency.

Participating Agency

A Public Sector Agency that collects or holds Human Services Data that is relevant to the Project and which has agreed to participate in the project by disclosing Human Services Data to the Data Linkage Centre in accordance with the PID and HPID.

Personal Information

Information or an opinion (including forming part of a database and whether or not recorded in a material form) about an individual whose identity is apparent or can reasonably be ascertained from the information or opinion.

Relevant exceptions include information about an individual who has been dead for more than 30 years, and information about an individual contained in a publicly available publication.

(PPIP Act, s 4)

PID

Public Interest Direction under section 41(1) of the PPIP Act in relation to the “Their Futures matter” project

PPN

A project specific person number that the Data Linkage Centre or an Australian Government Linkage Agency allocates to individuals whose Personal Information is collected and used as part of the Project for privacy purposes and to help prevent re-identification of these individuals.

PPIP Act

Privacy and Personal Information Protection Act 1998 (NSW)

Project

Means Their Future Matters project as described in in the Public Interest Directions and involves the aim of sing data and evidence to understand, prioritise and evaluate support for children, young people and families in NSW with the highest needs.

Project Cohort

Individuals born on or after 1 January 1990 (Primary Cohort) and their relatives (Secondary Cohort)

Project Team

The team established by the NSW Government to coordinate and lead the Project.

SCIU

Stronger Communities Investment Unit. SCIU was operating as the Project Team until September 2020. As such, throughout the report IIS has referred to SCIU where relevant.

SCDP

Stronger Communities Data Partnership, cross-cluster group comprising representatives at the Deputy Secretary level that drives greater use of human services data assets in policy and delivery decision making in the NSW Government.

TFM

Their Futures Matter. This refers to the cross-government reform delivering whole-of-system changes to better support vulnerable children and families.

Tier One Data

Human Services Data that has not been through any de-identification process to remove any Personal and Health Information.

Tier Two Data

Data derived from Tier One Data that has had Identifier Information (and other indirect identifiers) removed and been allocated a PPN in accordance with the PID and HPID.

Tier Three Data

Aggregated Tier Two Data that has been through the Information Protection Gates process in accordance with the PID and HPID.