Aboriginal Data Governance Policy

MP 0190/25 - Aboriginal Data Governance Policy (pdf 160KB)

Applicable to: This policy is applicable to WA health entities.

Description: The purpose of the Aboriginal Data Governance Policy (policy) is to ensure the WA health system recognises the rights of Aboriginal people in Western Australia (WA) to govern the collection, ownership and use of data about their people and communities.

More specifically, the policy recognises Aboriginal people’s trust, expectations, and understanding of data ownership, including the ownership of Aboriginal personal and community information in accordance with the Government’s Aboriginal data sovereignty commitments in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the National Agreement on Closing the Gap.

This policy establishes the Aboriginal Data Governance Model which outlines the requirements for collecting, accessing, using or disclosing Aboriginal data within the WA health system, in line with Part 17 of the Health Services Act 2016 and other relevant legislation.

Legislation pertinent to this policy includes:

• Public Sector Management Act 1994
• Privacy and Responsible Information Sharing Act 2024
• Freedom of Information Act 1992
• State Records Act 2000
• Copyright Act 1968
• Privacy and Other Legislation Amendment Act 2024
• Privacy Act 1988 (Cwth)
• Public Health Act 2016.

This policy is a mandatory requirement for Health Service Providers under the Information Management Policy Framework pursuant to section 26(2)(k) of the Health Services Act 2016.

This policy is also a mandatory requirement for the Department of Health pursuant to section 29 of the Public Sector Management Act 1994.

This policy is to be read in conjunction with the following:

• MP 0152/21 Information Management Governance Policy
• MP 0071/17 Aboriginal Health and Wellbeing Policy
• MP 0162/21 Research Governance Policy.

This policy does not apply when the access, use or disclosure of Aboriginal data is:

• for the provision of, or in connection with the provision of, direct patient care for clinical or primary health care services
• required by law
• for research purposes where approval is required from the WA Aboriginal Human Research Ethics Committee as mandated in MP 0162/21 Research Governance Policy.

 

 

Date of effect: 27 May 2025

Policy Framework

Information Management

Related documents

Aboriginal-Data-Governance-Model (pdf 488KB)

Aboriginal Data Use Evaluation and Declaration Form

Aboriginal Data Governance Training

Supporting information

Aboriginal-Data-Governance-Resource-Compendium (pdf 1MB)

WA Aboriginal Health and Wellbeing Framework 2015-2030