A leading autism researcher says he has been denied access to data that could prove a link between coal-fired power stations and autism.

Studies in the United States have shown a higher rate of autism among children living close to power stations.

Associate Professor David Austin, from Melbourne's Swinburn University, asked Centrelink to provide post code data for children suffering autism but was refused because of privacy concerns.

A subsequent appeal to the then minister, Bill Shorten, was also rejected.

"They (Centrelink) are bound by very sensible protocols around privacy and those protocols state that in post codes, which is what we were looking at, where there were less than 20 cases of autism, they were only able to report to us that there were less than 20," he said.

"So that could be zero, or it could be 19, and that wasn't going to give us the level of detail we needed on this study."

Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs Minister Jenny Macklin has confirmed data that refers to less than 20 individuals is unable to be released in order to protect the privacy of customers.

But she says she will ask her department to work with Mr Austin to determine how data could be provided to assist his research without compromising the privacy of customers.

The Department says most of the data requested would refer to less than 20 individuals, but Mr Austin will be provided with data by post code when it refers to more than 20 people.

But Mr Austin says this is not trivial research.

"It's very important research that needs to be done, so we would argue that yes, it warrants serious consideration from the Minister," he said.

Mr Austin says he will apply to Ms Macklin to allow access to the data and is confident the study will go ahead.

"I've got no doubt that through a reasonable process we could come to an outcome whereby we get hold of data that is completely de-identified but allows us to do the study."

He says it is in the national interest the link between autism and coal-fired power stations be examined.

"We now know that there's an environmental trigger involved here. We know the condition isn't completely genetic, so it's our job to determine what those triggers are."

He says the study would be subject to rigorous ethical standards and privacy would not be compromised.

"We don't need people's names, addresses and phone numbers, anything like that, we simply need cases," he said.