On this page are links to disability data cubes, which contain data on the users of disability support services.
- The most recent service user data is from the 2009-10 financial year collection.
- Other full year data cubes are also available for the 2008-09, 2007-08, 2006-07, 2005-06, 2004-05 and 2003-04 financial year collections. Data cubes for 1999-2002 collections are only available as snapshot day collections.
The source of these data is the Disability Services National Minimum Data Set (DS NMDS). Prior to January 2009 this dataset was known as the Commonwealth State/Territory Disability Agreement National Minimum Data Set (CSTDA NMDS). The source of the snapshot day collections is the Commonwealth State Disability Agreement Minimum Data Set (CSDA MDS). Users of National Disability Agreement (NDA)-funded services are now referred to as 'service users', but in the snapshot day collections were referred to as 'consumers'.
The cubes
What is a cube?
A data cube is a multidimensional representation of data which provides fast retrieval and drill down facilities. To learn more about the cube, and how to use the software behind the cube -- PowerPlay -- click on the help button 
inside the cube (or follow this link to learn more).
How do I export data from cubes?
You can export data from a cube to a comma separated variable file (.csv) for use in other applications such as Microsoft Excel.
- Once you have the required data visible in the data cube, click the Export CSV button at the bottom of the window.
- Depending on how your web browser is configured, you will then see the .csv file or you will be prompted to save it on your computer.
More information is available in Help.
2009-10 DS NMDS service user data
Users of all NDA-funded services
This disability cube includes the following data items: age, sex, country of birth, primary disability, Indigenous status, presence of other disability, living arrangements, need for support or assistance in activities of daily living, residential setting, need for interpreter services, existence of an informal carer, labour force status and individual funding status. These variables relate to the number of service users in receipt of NDA-funded services over the 2009-10 financial year (1 July 2009 - 30 June 2010).
You can select from these items the ones you want for generating a table. Tables can be generated for all users of NDA services or for just those service users receiving a selected service type. Use the measures option to view data on all service users or for service users receiving accommodation support services, community support services, community access services, respite services or employment services.
Service users who received more than one type of service over the year will be counted in all tables that relate to one of the services they received.
Users of all Government provided NDA-funded services
This disability cube is similar to the 'users of all NDA-services' cube described above, however it includes only those service users who received a service from a government service provider over the year.
Users of all Non-government provided NDA-funded services
This disability cube is similar to the 'users of all NDA-services' cube described above, however it includes only those service users who received a service from a non-government service provider over the year.
Previous full year data cubes
2008-09 CSTDA NMDS service user data
2007-08 CSTDA NMDS service user data
2006-07 CSTDA NMDS service user data
2005-06 CSTDA NMDS service user data
2004-05 CSTDA NMDS service user data
2003-04 CSTDA NMDS user data
Snapshot data cubes
2002 CSDA NMDS consumer data
2001 CSDA MDS consumer data
2000 CSDA MDS consumer data**
1999 CSDA MDS consumer data**
* Please note that in 2002 there were changes to the categories and definitions for living arrangements and need for support or assistance in activities of daily living. The data for these items are therefore not directly comparable with data from previous years. See definitions within the cube.
** The data presented in these cubes may vary slightly from published reports because of minor updates and corrections.
Consumers of all CSDA-funded services
This disability cube includes the following data items: age, sex, country of birth, primary disability, Indigenous status, presence of other disability, living arrangements and need for support or assistance in activities of daily living. For the 2002 cubes, residential setting and need for interpreter services are also included. These variables relate to the number of consumers in receipt of CSDA-funded services on the snapshot day.
You can select from these items the ones you want for generating a table. Tables can be generated for all consumers of CSDA services or for just those consumers receiving a selected service type. Use the measures option to view data on all consumers or for consumers receiving accommodation support services, community support services, community access services, respite services or employment services.
Consumers who received more than one type of service on the snapshot day will be counted in all tables that relate to one of the services they received.
Consumers of all Government provided CSDA-funded services
This disability cube is similar to the 'Consumers of all CSDA-services' cube described above, however it includes only those consumers who received a service from a government service provider on the snapshot day.
Consumers of all Non-government provided CSDA-funded services
This disability cube is similar to the 'Consumers of all CSDA-services' cube described above, however it includes only those consumers who received a service from a non-government service provider on the snapshot day.
Privacy issues
Due to the multidimensional nature of the disability cube, extra steps have been taken to ensure the confidentiality of service user (consumer) data. These are:
- Individual ages cannot be viewed, the lowest level to which age can be drilled is the 5 year age group level (e.g. 45–49 yrs).
- When viewing service users (consumers) at the 10 year age group level all people aged 60 and over have been grouped together. When viewing service users (consumers) at the 5 year age group level all people aged 65 and over have been grouped together.
- Speech, hearing, vision and deafblind disabilities have been grouped together to form a category called 'sensory disability'.
- The variable 'State' has not been included in the cube so that consumers cannot be identified by their location.
The data in the disability cubes are presented as a national picture of services received by people with a disability. To view the data at the jurisdictional level, please view the appropriate appropriate Disability support services report.
By clicking on the word [definitions] located at the top of the cube, a pop-up window is opened providing definitions for variables and categories. The source of these definitions is the DS NMDS data guide: data items and definitions.
To view the data presented in the table in graphical representation, please select one of the graph symbols, also located on the bottom toolbar of the cube. Once selected the dimensions of the graph may be changed by using the drop down menus which appear next to the graph.
More information
Disability publications include more detailed information about NDA-funded services in Australia. For information relating to 2009-10 data, see Disability support services 2009-10: report on services provided under the National Disability Agreement.
Where snapshot data cubes involve data on employment services, please note Commonwealth advice that the data should be considered preliminary, including 99% of funded service outlets.