State and territory governments have given their endorsement to a national data asset to enhance services for individuals with disabilities. 

Disability ministers from across Australia have approved the comprehensive dataset and committed to contributing information on employment, health, education, and support services pertaining to the disability community.

Social Services Minister Amanda Rishworth and NDIS and Government Services Minister Bill Shorten have announced the initiation of the National Disability Data Asset (NDDA).

The website will be jointly governed by the federal, state, and territory governments. 

Its objective is to provide a holistic view of people with disabilities, enabling public servants to better comprehend their needs and help them achieve their objectives.

The ministers issued a joint statement saying the NDDA will serve as a single data source, fostering improved disability research, policy development, and more responsive government services. 

Rishworth noted that the shared data, expected to be fully operational by 2026, would offer substantial national evidence to inform smarter policies, enhance services, and provide support.

Shorten highlighted the importance of utilising the insights gained from the NDDA to make strategic government investments, ensuring that every dollar expended yields greater outcomes for individuals with disabilities. 

The asset's design has been influenced by people with disabilities, and it will be governed in partnership with the disability community. Shorten underscored the central role of Australians with disabilities in the development of government policies aimed at their betterment.

In order to build the NDDA, the federal government has allocated $68.3 million for analysis, research, and implementation. 

The budget funding includes $1.36 million for each state and territory government, contingent upon the signing of bilateral agreements. 

The NDDA's insights will aid in measuring, tracking, and reporting outcomes aligned with Australia's disability strategy for 2021-31.