About the Looking for data category

Can’t find a particular dataset? Request a dataset and get help from the community and the Data WA team.

Request a dataset process

1. First check the Data WA catalogue and other open data sites such as data.gov.au for the data.

We only mainly deal with Western Australian state and local government data. If the data is held by a federal department, you should use data.gov.au’s Suggest a Dataset form.

2. If you can’t find the data, please check if anyone else has already requested the data you’re looking for in this category and subcategories.

3A. If the topic already exists vote on the topic and if applicable reply to the topic about any extra information about your requirements and use case.

3B. If the topic does not exist, start a new topic.

Include as much information as you can:

  • Why do you want the data? Tell us about your project!
  • How you plan to use it? E.g. what format is needed for it to be useful.
  • Do you know which agency has the data?
  • Does it already exist online? E.g. it’s online, but not in a machine readable format.

4. Other users will add their votes and stories.

Jump in to help if you see a topic and know where the data is already available

5. The Data WA team will prioritise pursing the data that has lots of votes.

How many votes are needed? We don’t know at this point; we’re still working what kind of numbers of demand is going to be useful for this.

6. Once a dataset has enough votes, the Data WA team will contact the agency and update the topic with our progress.

This data request process is a work in progress if you have any idea’s to improve this process please let us know in the feedback category in our forums.