Background
The SIDR was initially created by Treasury to support, monitor and evaluate the Government’s Target 120 program. The SIDR is an enduring linked, administrative database containing de‑identified information on individuals who have had contact with key government agencies.
Treasury has sought to embed and enhance the SIDR as a major research asset for policy making in WA. The SIDR aims to build upon WA’s long and successful history of linking data for research purposes, and to progress recommendations outlined in a 2016 review of data linkage by Professors Fiona Stanley AC and Peter Klinken.
Development of the SIDR has been a collaboration between the Data Linkage Branch in the Department of Health, Curtin University’s Centre for Data Linkage (CDL) and partner agencies, including the Departments of Communities, Justice, Health and Education and WA Police.
Accessing the SIDR
The SIDR is now available for use by researchers and policy analysts. Interested parties should note the three-stage SIDR Application Process.
Stage 1
Show moreInterested parties are encouraged to contact Treasury to express their interest in using the SIDR and discuss the feasibility of their project.
Researchers may then be requested to submit an application form and provide supporting documentation, if necessary.
Applications are assessed by the SIDR Governance Group made up of representatives from each SIDR partner agency, central government and CDL. The SIDR Governance Group considers the feasibility, benefits, and risks of each application.
Applicants are encouraged to lodge their applications at their earliest convenience to avoid delay.
Stage 2
Show moreApplicants are then required to seek approval from each individual SIDR Partner Agency. As owners of the data in SIDR, each partner agency manages SIDR applications through their existing processes.
To save time and avoid duplication, the SIDR application form has been designed to capture information required by all partner agencies to initiate their approval process.
SIDR Partner Agencies will advise Treasury and applicants of their decision. If approved, Treasury will arrange access to approved projects and applicants.
Stage 3
Show moreApproved applicants will be required to present to the SIDR Governance Group at regular intervals during their project.
Approved applicants may be granted access to the SIDR via CDL’s Secure eResearch Platform – a fully governed and highly secure virtual environment. Release of analytical outputs from this secure environment is subject to appropriate vetting and clearance. A nominal cost associated with establishing and hosting a secure project space in this virtual environment may apply.
