The need for longitudinal data In addition to the implementation of formal mechanisms to ensure data sovereignty, participants in consultations on a national anti-racism framework, and those who made submissions, emphasised the need for diverse forms of data that effectively capture the breadth and nuance of racism and its impacts. Experts working on research on racial inequality in health, in particular, noted the importance of longitudinal data to better determine the impacts of racism over time, which could be facilitated by a uniform national database rollout. Longitudinal data is data collected from the same individuals or entities (such as businesses) repeatedly over time, providing an evidence base for how and why certain circumstances, actions, events, policies, and other causal factors can yield particular long-term outcomes.27 Studies drawing upon this data thus possess a ‘breadth and depth of perspective’ that is required for the analysis of complex and entrenched problems, such as those surrounding racial discrimination.28 This includes the identification of sub-groups who are at greater risk of cumulative impacts from multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination, thus creating an evidence base for addressing intersectional harms. With research on racism being a relatively recent phenomenon, longitudinal data can assist in understanding not only the critical events and histories that impact racism and responses to it, but also racism itself, including how racism might transform, fluctuate, and impact people in specific phases of their lives and in their overall lifespan. 29 Altogether, this makes way for the development of effective and meaningful public policy to address these problems. By following the trajectories of individuals over time, longitudinal data has been able to demonstrate that racial discrimination – including internalised, interpersonal, and systemic racism – is a fundamental determinant of ill health and health inequalities,30 particularly for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and communities. 31 This has been shown to occur through several pathways, including restricted access to social resources such as employment and education, exposure to risk factors such as unnecessary contact with the justice system, and direct physical injury caused by racist violence.32 Other longitudinal studies conducted in Australia include Building a New Life in Australia (BNLA): The Longitudinal Study of Humanitarian Migrants conducted by the Department of Social Services, examining how humanitarian migrants settle into life in Australia; 33 Growing Up in Australia: The Longitudinal Study of Australian Children (LSAC), which follows the development of 10,000 young people and their families from all parts of Australia; 34 the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey, which collects information about economic and personal well-being, labour market dynamics, and family life;35 the Longitudinal Study of Immigrants to Australia (LSIA), which sought to collect information on recently arrived migrants, measure how they settled in Australia, and provide reliable data to monitor and evaluate immigration settlement policies, programs and services;36 and Mayi Kuwayu: The National Study of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Wellbeing (MK), which looks at how Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander wellbeing is linked to connection to country, cultural practices, spirituality, language use, and other factors.37 National Anti-Racism Framework Scoping Report 2022 | 92