Frequently asked questions
What is Open Data?
Open data is data that can be freely used, modified, and shared by anyone for any purpose. The Queensland Government is committed to building a trusted data ecosystem that makes non-sensitive data open for anyone to access, use and share with licences that allow easy reuse.
What is data.qld.gov.au?
data.qld.gov.au is a centralised web portal where Queensland Government agencies publish their open data.
Do I have to register to access data on data.qld.gov.au?
No. Anyone can access and download the data published on the data.qld.gov.au. However, you may choose to register if you would like to subscribe to receive notifications from the site or follow datasets and/or departments. You also need to register to request data or to post comments for a dataset or data request.
Do I have to pay to access or download data from data.qld.gov.au?
No. All the data published on data.qld.gov.au is completely free to access, view, and download. However, each dataset published to data.qld.gov.au has a license, which describes what users are permitted to do with the data. Most data on data.qld.gov.au is published with open licenses that do not restrict what you can do with the data, however in some circumstances it can be necessary to apply a more restrictive license.
What type of data will I find on data.qld.gov.au?
data.qld.gov.au contains a library of datasets published by Queensland Government. The categories or groups under which data is published are available on data.qld.gov.au/group.
What format is data published in?
Data published to data.qld.gov.au should be published in simple and open formats. The most common format is text such as .csv and .txt. But depending on the data it may also be provided in other formats.
Why publish open data?
Data is increasingly vital to solving real world problems. The Queensland Government is committed to releasing data and allowing it to be freely used, reused and redistributed by anyone, anytime, and anywhere. Open data can bring a number of benefits to Queensland, including:
- fostering transparent, accountable, efficient, responsive and effective government
- supporting the design, delivery and assessment of better services for citizens and businesses
- improving the evidence-base for policy and programs
- providing major opportunities for innovation and underpin growth of the digital economy.
The Queensland Government Open Data Policy Statement (PDF) describes this commitment in more detail.
How do I find data?
There are around 3,000 datasets and more than 12,00 resources on data.qld.gov.au, for mashups, development of applications, research and other purposes.
You can find data on the open data portal in a number of ways:
- Click on the magnifying glass at the top right of the homepage
- Use the “Search for data” box at the top right of the homepage
- Type keywords in “Search for Queensland Government datasets”
- Use the “Data” tab on the menu bar
- Use the department name to see a specific department’s data
Where can I find open data success stories?
The potential of open data has been demonstrated by many businesses, researchers and communities. We have listed some of these achievements in our Case Studies section on data.qld.gov.au.
We are always interested in hearing what people are doing with data on data.qld.gov.au. This helps us showcase the value of open data within government and to the public. If you would like to share your own use case or success story, please contact us using the contact request form on data.qld.gov.au.
How do I get more help?
For general queries, please complete the contact request form on data.qld.gov.au. However, if you would like to request any data that is not already available, please complete the request data form.