Public Sector (Data Sharing) Act 2016

The Minister may direct a public sector agency to provide public sector data that it controls, including exempt public sector data, to another public sector agency for any of the purposes referred to in section 8(1).

A direction of the Minister under subsection (1)—

authorises the public sector agency specified in the direction to provide public sector data in accordance with the direction; and

is binding according to its terms on each public sector agency referred to in the direction; and

must, in relation to the provision of public sector data, specify—

the nature and extent of the public sector data to be provided; and

the purposes for which the public sector data is to be provided.

The Minister must, before making a direction under this section in relation to public sector data, have regard to the trusted access principles and be satisfied that the sharing and use of the data is appropriate in all the circumstances.

A public sector agency must, on being directed to provide data under subsection (1), provide the data to the data recipient as soon as is reasonably practicable.

If public sector data is provided under this section, the data provider and the data recipient must comply with all relevant data sharing safeguards.

The Minister must—

as soon as practicable after making a direction under subsection (1), cause notice of the direction to be published in the Gazette; and

within 6 sitting days of making a direction under subsection (1), cause notice of the direction to be laid before each House of Parliament.

A notice under subsection (6) must specify the data provider, the data recipient and the general nature of the public sector data to which the direction relates.