Introduction

Bushfires, floods, and a pandemic – 2020 was a year of unexpected challenges. We have seen the health, economic and social landscape rapidly change in NSW, requiring NSW Government to think, act and respond differently. Data has been at the heart of our response.  

Data has fueled Government decision making. It has helped us to understand how the COVID-19 public health measures have kept the community safe, including identifying and communicating with the community about COVID-19 case locations, testing rates, and which businesses are registered as COVID Safe. From an environmental protection perspective, data has been key to understanding the biodiversity and landscape impacts of bushfires and identifying those communities and businesses most in need of support.  

However, this Strategy is broader than natural disasters or a pandemic – it is about using data to drive better outcomes for our customers across all our work, while at the same time, protecting their privacy. We have learned many important lessons in the last 12 months about the value of using and sharing data, and about the importance of maintaining appropriate data governance as we use data ever more widely. Agencies are increasingly sharing data to respond to our most complex problems and develop solutions, and there is a much stronger sense of collaboration across the sector as we monitor developments and respond in real time.  

The NSW Government Data Strategy will further develop our maturity in the use of data for better community outcomes. The Strategy focuses on harnessing the power of data to shape our future – to deliver on this Government’s priorities, to respond to emerging issues, and most importantly to deliver the experience and services that the people and businesses of NSW have come to expect, while maintaining the privacy, security and ethical standards expected of us.