As for many other research disciplines, rapid advances in digital technologies and methods are proving transformational in life sciences. Internationally, major life sciences infrastructure initiatives are increasingly defining global scale data infrastructures; in particular, the US-based National Institutes of Health through their Data Commons program, and the EU-based ELIXIR program and EBI, are building data infrastructures that are, in many ways, equivalents of the global data-focussed infrastructures driving advances in astronomy and physics - infrastructures like Hubble, LIGO, and the LHC. And, like astronomy and physics, it is clear that world-class life sciences research in Australia and New Zealand will increasingly depend on digital methods and data resources, and communities, that are globally sourced and supported. Therefore, sponsored by Bioplatforms Australia, we have developed a research infrastructure program called the Australian BioCommons that strongly engages the research community, international infrastructure initiatives, and national digital resource providers, recognising that Australia must understand, participate in and contribute to global life science-enabling endeavours as a first class partner, and presenting this as a clear vision of implementable requirements to national providers.ABOUT THE AUTHOR(S)A/Prof Andrew Lonie Director, Australian BioCommons, University of Melbourne.