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Client Success Story
Successful Collaboration Between Government and Industry
Bruce Thompson, Director, Spatial Information Infrastructure,
Victorian Department of Sustainability and Environment
Spatial Information Infrastructure (SII) is part of the Department
of Sustainability and Environment. It is responsible for developing
and managing Victoria’s fundamental spatial information.
Its three main areas of focus are: whole-of-Victoria spatial
information policy, and strategy and advice to government;
developing and maintaining Vicmap, Victoria’s spatial
data infrastructure; and, in partnership with the private
sector, realising the benefits of this infrastructure (through
developing spatial technology solutions in GIS, remote sensing,
map publishing and data capture; education, research and development;
and facilitating the growth of the private sector). SII is
the custodian of the eight ‘framework’ datasets
that form Vicmap, the basis of the State’s spatial data
infrastructure (geodesy, cadastre/property, transport, address,
administrative, elevation, hydrography and imagery).
Over recent times, Spatial Information Infrastructure has
has been working on an ambitious reform program to generate
value and wealth for Victoria by consolidating and expanding
the State’s spatial information framework. Major aspects
of this reform program include the areas of property information,
standard land parcel identifiers, digital road networks, geographic
names, automation of land titles and valuation best practice.
One of the key approaches undertaken by SII has been to encourage
the development of public-private partnerships. This has been
manifest in a number of ways including the outsourcing of
maintenance of the many of the core spatial data sets, the
leverage of the State’s SI infrastructure and the development
of a range of value adding opportunities.
As a result of the inquiry into the South-East Bushfires
of 2002, the Office of the Emergency Commission recommended
that all Emergency Services be encouraged to make use of a
single authoritative topographic mapping data set sourced
from DSE, and that DSE seek ways to promote increased access
to the State’s mapping. A Government directive was issued
to DSE to address both digital and hard copy topographic mapping
production and development issues in Victoria.
In 2003, DSE called for Expressions of Interest from the
private sector to partner with the Victorian Government for
the provision of innovative or more cost-effective production
techniques for topographic map products for Victoria. As a
result of this process, DSE selected Spatial Vision to develop
options for improving access to up-to-date topographic mapping
via a state-wide series of regional hardcopy topographic map
books.
Over the last 20 months, Spatial Vision has refined their
map book proposal, negotiating agreements with the CFA and
SII regarding the product’s specification, design and
publishing schedule. The final result is a highly effective,
high quality topographic map book production platform. The
Spatial Vision Vicmap Books will provide high quality topographic
map books for all of Victoria. The Vicmap Books provide improved
coverage, currency and reliability, at very high cartographic
standards, and at a lower cost to Government and the community.
SII’s association with Spatial Vision for this project
is the latest public-private partnership established by DSE,
and reflects how the Department is seeking to leverage the
State’s spatial infrastructure. A salient feature of
this partnership, and the cornerstone of its success, is that
the Victorian government has achieved a better topographic
mapping resource, and reduced its costs, and Spatial Vision
has developed a solid commercial product.
Spatial Vision is to be congratulated on bringing this high
quality product to the market. The State will be well served
by the Spatial Vision map books. The map book series provides
a comprehensive and authoritative publishing channel for Victoria’s
topographic map base.
About Bruce Thompson:
Bruce Thompson is Director of Spatial Information Infrastructure,
in the Victorian Department of Sustainability and Environment.
Bruce is responsible for development and direction of Victoria's
whole-of-Government spatial information strategy and policies,
and for the management of the Victoria's spatial information
infrastructure. The two key components of this program are
the Victorian Spatial Information Strategy, and Vicmap, Victoria's
spatial information and mapping resources. Bruce is actively
involved with the development of national spatial policy,
and national spatial information industry development as the
Victorian member of the Australia New Zealand Land Information
Council (ANZLIC), and as the Victorian director of PSMA Australia.
Bruce also represents Victoria on the board of the Cooperative
Research Centre for Spatial Information.
Copyright © Spatial Vision, Monday, 23-January-2006
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