Data and research
National Disability Data Asset
Australian, state and territory governments are working with the disability community on the National Disability Data Asset. The disability data asset will bring together de-identified information about all Australians from various government agencies. This will help governments better understand the experiences of people living with disability and the programs and services they use. The disability data asset will also help governments to better support people with disability, their carers and the broader community.
Learn more about the National Disability Data Asset
Reporting on Australia’s Disability Strategy 2021-2031
Over the lifetime of the Strategy, a range of reports will be published including annual Targeted Action Plans Reports, implementation reports every two years and two major evaluations. There will be annual reports on the Outcomes Framework, in addition to online reporting (referred to as a Dashboard in the Strategy) available on the Outcome Framework Webpages.
Learn more about the reporting under the Strategy
Visit the Outcomes Framework Webpages
ADS Survey Reports
As part of Australia’s Disability Strategy 2021-2031 (ADS), the Australian Government aims to improve community attitudes about disability. To achieve this, the Australian Government has been collecting national data about community attitudes, through surveys and qualitative studies.
The first survey wave was run in 2022, while the second survey wave was run in 2024. In addition to the traditional surveys, a series of qualitative studies have been conducted. These studies include focus groups and interviews to gain insights and experiences from people who would be otherwise missed through a standard quantitative survey.
Wave 1
The ADS Survey Wave 1 Analysis Report provides some key findings from the first wave of the ADS Survey.
Read the ADS Survey Wave 1 (2022) Analysis Report (includes summary)
The first qualitative study was conducted during Wave 1 of the survey and focused on capturing the experiences of people living with intellectual disability.
Read the People Living with Intellectual Disability Report (includes summary)
Wave 2
The ADS Survey Wave 2 Analysis Report provides key findings from the second wave of the ADS Survey.
Read the ADS Survey Wave 2 (2024) Analysis Report (includes summary)
The Wave 2 work also included 3 qualitative studies. These studies focused on attitudes towards disability among young people, people from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) backgrounds, and First Nations people.
Read the Disability and Young People Report (includes summary)
Disability Data Measure (DDM) Project
The Disability Data Measures (DDM) Project was funded by the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing. It responds to Disability Royal Commission (DRC) Recommendation 12.5. This recommendation is about developing a nationally consistent approach to collecting disability information.
The DDM project focuses on developing a set of disability questions in national population surveys.
Read about the first step of the project.
National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) Research and Evaluation Strategy
The NDIA's research and evaluation function (or strategic approach) aims to build and strengthen National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) participants' capacity for independence through choice and control and to ensure the sustainability of the NDIS.
Learn more about the NDIA's Research and Evaluation Strategy
National Disability Research Partnership
The Australian Government has provided $15 million to establish a National Disability Research Partnership (NDRP). The NDRP will develop and implement a national disability research agenda aligned with Australia's Disability Strategy 2021-2031 and drive change in policy and practice that will improve the lives of people with disability.
Learn more about the National Disability Research Partnership
The NDRP Work Plan explains what will be done in the first year of operations, from July 2024 to June 2025. The work plan is also available in Easy Read.
Learn more about the first years’ Work Plan
The NDRP has partnered with the Analysis & Policy Observatory (APO) to build a Disability Research Collection designed to improve policies and practices.
Search the APO Disability Research Collection
Australian Bureau of Statistics
The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) provides official statistics on a wide range of topics. The ABS Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers is a key source of data on the prevalence and profile of disability in Australia.
Learn more about the Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare
The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) provides independent evidence on health and welfare in Australia. AIHW's People with disability in Australia report draws together information from a range of sources to look at the experiences of people with disability in everyday life.
Read the People with disability in Australia report
Visit the Disability section of AIHW’s website
Indigenous Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Clearinghouse
The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) brings together information about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s wellbeing, mental health and suicide prevention.
Visit the AIHW Indigenous Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Clearinghouse
Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability
The Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability is a consistent way for Australian schools to collect information about students with disability to better understand how students with disability can be best supported at school.
Learn more about the Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability
Australia's National Research Organisation for Women's Safety
Australia's National Research Organisation for Women's Safety Limited is an independent, not-for-profit research organisation established to produce evidence to support the reduction of violence against women and their children. This research includes works relating to women and children with disability.
Learn more about Australia's National Research Organisation for Women's Safety
Australian Reporting on the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
Every four years Australia reports on its progress in implementing the Convention to the United Nations Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. People with disability, through their disability representative organisations, also report to the Committee to help its review. This report is known as the Shadow Report. The Committee considers these reports and may make concluding observations and recommendations.
Learn more about Australia's submission to the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities