Skip to content

  • Home
  • COVID-19 Guide
  • COVID-19 AV library
  • Client results
  • Expertise
  • News & Insights
  • People
  • Our DNA
  • Inclusion and Diversity
  • Join us
  • Contact Us
Home / NEWS & INSIGHTS / Uncategorized / Revisiting data in a post-COVID world
Uncategorized 23 July 2020

Revisiting data in a post-COVID world

COVID-19 has presented new and unique challenges across both the private and public sector. For local governments, the shift of workforces into their homes and consequential repopulation of suburbs during working weeks, as well the shut down or pivoting of local economies, presents the opportunity for local governments to revisit how data sets can be used to refocus internal work streams and promote growth in local businesses in the post-COVID world. Central to leveraging data to emerge from COVID-19 is privacy and security protections and policies, particularly when local governments collaborate with the private sector to create particular data sets.

Using data to prepare local governments for a post-COVID world

Government has been moving toward smart cities and smart communities for a number of years now. With COVID-19 shifting workforces to working-from-home life, cities and their internal maintenance may look considerably different in the near future – and so too might the smart city. Data, and local governments collaborating with analytics firms to make sense of this data, can help local governments save money by reallocating resources where necessary, for example, in streamlined rubbish collection, public transport and decreasing traffic congestion by monitoring use of roads post COVID-19.   

Where local governments are collecting data for this purpose, or collaborating with the private sector to create particular data sets, they need to ensure they have consent to collect data for this purpose and that all information is sufficiently de-identified.

Creating data sets to help local economies recover from COVID-19

We are yet to experience the full economic effects of the global pandemic, however it’s a reasonable prediction that some businesses will not survive, others will pivot and new businesses will emerge in the post-COVID world to meet new and unique demands. Open data has been driving innovation for a number of years. Now may be the perfect opportunity for local governments to collaborate with private industry, including start-ups, to drive innovation by focusing on collecting and providing new and relevant data sets (perhaps informed by new needs).

In these circumstances, local governments will also need to ensure appropriate privacy policies and legislatively compliant procedures are in place for the collection and release of new data sets.

Key takeaways:

  • a post-COVID world may present opportunities for local governments to create and provide new data sets to streamline internal resource allocation as well as prompt innovation.
  • central to collection and release of data sets is privacy compliance and security considerations.

Many thanks to Lornagh Lomax, Lawyer for her assistance in putting together this article.


This publication covers legal and technical issues in a general way. It is not designed to express opinions on specific cases. It is intended for information purposes only and should not be regarded as legal advice. Further advice should be obtained before taking action on any issue dealt with in this publication.

About the authors

  • Belinda Breakspear

    Partner
  • Jake Grant

    Special Counsel

In other news

New Industrial Relations Laws – What it means for you

22 December 2020Insight

Payment Times Reporting Scheme

21 December 2020Insight

Australian Government proposes new broadcaster’s licence and forced investment quotas in Media Reform Green Paper

14 December 2020Insight

Verification of identity – does it always need to be in person?

6 December 2020Insight

VIEW ALL NEWS & INSIGHTS

BRISBANE

Level 11, 66 Eagle Street
Brisbane QLD 4000
GPO Box 1855
Brisbane QLD 4001
Tel +61 7 3233 8888
Fax +61 7 3229 9949

 

GET IN TOUCH

Contact form

We handle your personal information in accordance with our privacy policy.

sydney

Level 32, MLC Centre
19 Martin Place
Sydney NSW 2000
GPO Box 462
Sydney NSW 2001

Tel +61 2 8241 5600
Fax +61 2 8241 5699

 

GET IN TOUCH

Contact form


We handle your personal information in accordance with our privacy policy.

melbourne

Level 27, 101 Collins Street
Melbourne VIC 3000
GPO Box 2924
Melbourne VIC 3001

Tel +61 3 9067 3100
Fax +61 3 9067 3199

 

GET IN TOUCH

Contact form

We handle your personal information in accordance with our privacy policy.

follow us

CLIENT LOGIN

newcastle

Level 2, 16 Telford Street
Newcastle NSW 2300
PO Box 394
Newcastle NSW 2300

Tel +61 2 4914 6900
Fax +61 2 4914 6999

 

GET IN TOUCH

Contact form


We handle your personal information in accordance with our privacy policy.

canberra

Level 9, 2 Phillip Law Street
Canberra ACT 2601

Tel +61 2 6243 3699
Fax +61 2 8241 5699

 

GET IN TOUCH

Contact form


We handle your personal information in accordance with our privacy policy.

© 2017 McCullough Robertson. Site map Disclaimer Privacy Policy Credit Reporting Policy

X