Data After Dark

Addressing the longstanding information gap in measuring and monitoring the night-time economy

Data After Dark was created to address the longstanding information gap in measuring and monitoring the night-time economy. The challenge arose from a lack of affordable, reliable, accessible, and frequently updated data on night-time activities at local and state levels. Existing data sources are often fragmented and costly, creating significant barriers to obtaining comprehensive insights into after-dark activities. This information gap has historically hindered informed decision-making, leaving policy makers and stakeholders without a full understanding of the economic impact of night-time activities and a consistent measurement of changes over time. 

Data After Dark addresses this challenge by providing a central digital platform that integrates a wide range of data that are critical to assess the performance of the night-time economy across NSW. It has developed a set of dashboards, providing invaluable real-time insights, including consumer spending, people movement, public transport usage, businesses, and safety at night. The project has developed a set of standardised metrics to measure the health of the night-time economy, empowering users to make informed decisions, fostering vibrant, safe, and thriving night-time economies. Policy makers, including NSW Government agencies and participating local councils, gain direct access to the dashboards. Quarterly reports with high-level insights, key trends, and in-depth analysis on special topics, are published each quarter to benefit broader communities.

Achievements

Immediate and medium-term benefits include: 

• a better understanding and continuous monitoring of the night-time economy across NSW, enabling informed decision making
• providing evidence to evaluate policy reforms, programs, and the implementation of the 24-Houre Economy Strategy
• establishing a universal and standardised measurement of the night-time economy, avoiding ambiguity and confusion among stakeholders
• sharing valuable information with other NSW Government agencies, participating local councils, and broader communities  
• strengthening collaboration across government and between government and communities. 

Long-term benefits include: 

• helping build a safe, vibrant, inclusive, and diverse night-time economy for NSW
• building data literacy and cultivate a collaborative data sharing and evidence-driven decision-making culture across government. 

Engagement

This project has involved partnership and engagement with the following stakeholders: 

• Co-development and data security management: Data Analytics Centre (DCS)
• Consultation: multiple NSW Government agencies, Committee for Sydney, and local government authorities from the Council of Capital City Lord Mayors and the Night-time Economy Councils’ Committee.
• Data input: Liquor and Gaming NSW, NSW Police, BOCSAR, Health NSW, TfNSW, Bureau of Meteorology, ABR, Ambulance NSW, Australian Tourism Data Warehouse, Council of Capital City Lord Mayors, and various commercial data providers.  
• Expert Reference Group: City of Sydney, Committee for Sydney, Business NSW, DNSW, DCS.
• Users: all NSW Government agencies and 16 participating local councils as members of the Night-Time Economy Councils’ Committee.

Department leading the project

DCITHS – 24-hour Economy