The Federal Government has appointed Deborah Anton as the new interim National Data Commissioner, leading the government’s public sector data reforms.
The appointment is inline with the recommendations from the Productivity Commission, which looked into the private and public availability and use of data.
Anton will be working closely with the privacy commissioner in strengthening the safeguards around integrity, management and use of government held data.
According to minister for human services and assisting minister for digital transformation, Michael Keenan, these safeguards will be enshrined in law through the delivery of a new Data Sharing and Release Act to simplify the complex web of more than 500 privacy and secrecy provisions that currently exist across government departments.
The interim commissioner will responsible for developing a new framework to improve access to non-sensitive data.
Anton’s experience spans legislation, regulation, policy and program delivery, developed during her career that involves more than 20 years in the Australian public service - she is also IP Australia’s deputy director general for policy and corporate.
The Bureau for Communications Research estimates greater access to non-sensitive data could generate up to $25 billion per year in increased productivity for Australia.
