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This paper provides a summary of who uses data about and for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population of Australia and how these data are used: Indigenous community and other organisations use data for reflection and advocacy. Government and other policy makers use data for allocating resources, identifying needs, monitoring, evaluation and planning. The wider Australian community uses data for accountability (of politicians and policies) and to provide more information about the circumstances of non-Indigenous people. Academics and researchers use data for understanding and explaining. This paper discusses the availability, strengths and weaknesses of 5 types of data: cross-sectional surveys, longitudinal data, qualitative data, administrative data and community-controlled collections. The extent to which the data sets and types of data meet the uses of the data varies considerably. While the needs of governments and researchers are generally well provided for, the needs of Indigenous community and other organisations who work with and for Indigenous Australians are not as well met due to their reliance on community-controlled collections that are relatively poorly resourced. [Introduction and Overview, ed].