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AusTrakka Governance

AusTrakka's governance framework ensures proper oversight and management of genomic data sharing across Australian jurisdictions while maintaining data security and appropriate access controls.

AusTrakka governance framework
AusTrakka governance structure and relationships between key stakeholders

Operational Governance​

The AusTrakka Governance is operated by the Communicable Diseases Genomics Network (CDGN) and is maintained by the AusTrakka Development Team at the University of Melbourne.

Agreement on data governance for AusTrakka covers:

  • Sharing of pathogen sequences/isolates
  • Minimal metadata with pre-defined recipients
  • Established partnerships with the Office of Health Protection
  • CDGN public health laboratory members as primary contributors of genomic sequencing data

Advisory Structure​

Currently, the AusTrakka Advisory Group comprises representatives from leading genomics public health laboratories in:

  • Queensland
  • Victoria
  • New South Wales
  • South Australia
  • Western Australia
  • Interim Australian Centre for Disease Control - Laboratories and Pathogen Security Section-Communicable Diseases Policy Branch

This group is responsible for:

  • Overseeing the AusTrakka National Analysis Team
  • Managing platform structure and workforce
  • Facilitating analysis requests
  • Reporting AusTrakka outputs

Governance Frameworks​

SARS-CoV-2 Framework​

The Framework for SARS-CoV-2 data sharing and analysis using AusTrakka was rapidly developed early in the COVID-19 pandemic to provide:

  • Mechanisms for rapid data sharing
  • Genomic analysis under various operational situations
  • Support within and between jurisdictions and nationally

This Framework formalized endorsement from:

  • Public health laboratories
  • Public health units represented on key Australian Government committees

It established protocols for rapidly sharing all SARS-CoV-2 genomics data to the AusTrakka platform through nominated public health laboratories for national real-time surveillance.

The SARS-CoV-2 Framework was endorsed by AHPPC on Thursday, 1 October 2020.

Expanded National Framework​

The Governance Framework for National Genomic Surveillance in AusTrakka is currently under review and endorsement by:

  • Communicable Diseases Network Australia (CDNA)
  • Public Health Laboratory Network (PHLN)
  • Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC)

This expanded framework applies the same principles in data custodianship and describes mechanisms for data sharing for:

  • National surveillance
  • Outbreak investigation of pathogens identified as priority by national committees