OnlyFacts collects and connects data from many different places. We also combine datasets and apply calculations to make information clearer, more comparable, and more relevant.
To help you understand where each dataset comes from — and whether it suits your purpose — we use a schema called Data Provenance. You'll see it listed in every chart or table, directly after Source.
Provenance categories:
- Official: Data published by government or statutory bodies.
Examples: Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW); Clean Energy Regulator (CER).
- Trusted: Data from reliable, non-official sources that meet our verification standards.
Examples: Open Electricity; RenewMap.
- Derived: Data calculated or standardised using known values from official or trusted sources.
Example: Per-capita metrics derived from total emissions and population data.
- Inferred: Data estimated indirectly when a direct measurement is unavailable.
Example: Local Government Area (LGA) values converted from postcode-level data.
Read more about how we translate data across geographies →
- Aggregated: Data compiled from multiple disparate sources that are official or trusted.
Examples: Car sales, corporate data from annual and sustainability reports.
- Surveyed: Data based on surveys of a population subset — conducted by OnlyFacts or a recognised source.
This framework helps you assess how each dataset was created, how much confidence to place in it, and whether it suits your purpose.
Disclaimer: We aim for accuracy, but cannot guarantee that all data on OnlyFacts is free from error or suitable for every purpose. Always use your own judgment and seek professional advice where required.
