Submission to the Productivity Commission: Australia’s Data and Digital Dividend

Innovation in data and digital services is not an end in itself. Innovation must be guided to deliver positive outcomes for all Australians. How data is collected, shared, used and aggregated needs adequate guardrails so data-led innovations do not lead to Australians being worse-off.

As part of the Productivity Commission’s 5-year productivity inquiry, CPRC urges the Federal Government to adopt a people-centric mindset when considering innovation in the digital economy. It needs to implement a range of measures to protect consumers and ensure that the data and digital dividend delivers equitable outcomes:

• Implement a principles-based approach to guide the safe use of technology and data.
• Resolve major policy issues required to develop an enabling environment by reforming the Privacy Act and introducing stronger consumer protections.
• Embed the practice of conducting a cost-benefit analysis as part of the data and digital framework that identifies direct benefits to Australians.
• Enshrine a ‘duty of care’ on business use of consumer data.