Updated: 25 Jan 2005

Australian Spatial Data Infrastructure [ASDI]

• What is the ASDI?
• Why is spatial data important?
• Why is the ASDI important?
• Who is implementing the ASDI?
• Geoscience Australia initiatives
• Further Information

What is the ASDI?

The ASDI is a national initiative to provide better access for all Australians to essential spatial data. It aims to ensure that users of spatial data will be able to acquire consistent datasets to meet their requirements, even though the data is collected and maintained by different authorities.

The implementation of the ASDI requires a solid infrastructure based on policy and administrative arrangements, people and technology, and a means by which spatial data is made accessible to the community. This infrastructure can be compared to services infrastructures, such as road, rail and electricity networks.

The concept of the ASDI is not to establish a central database, but to set up a distributed network of databases, managed by individual government and industry custodians.

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Why is spatial data important?

Spatial data is also known as geospatial data or geographic information. It refers to information that identifies the geographic location of natural or constructed features and boundaries on the earth, including the oceans.

Spatial data is used in a wide variety of economic, social and environmental applications. These include:

• Environmental Assessment & Management: Data can assist in monitoring and modelling potential risk assessment and sustainable development.
• Property Administration - including Native Titles: Maps are used for land title (cadastral) information in the management of land ownership.
• Navigation - road, marine & air: Spatial information such as road maps, air charts or nautical charts is combined with technology such as Global Positioning Systems (a satellite system) to improve navigational accuracy.
• Resource Management - agriculture, mining, energy, forestry & marine: Valuable information is being linked with digital maps in more effective management of resources, exploration and decision-making.
• Emergency Services Response - fire, ambulance & police: Response times are being reduced by the effective use of digital map information on locations of incidents.
• Business Planning: Analysis of digital maps is providing a cost-effective method for planning business expansion and identifying the location of clients.
• Census: All the census information collated by the Australian Bureau of Statistics is linked to its location through the use of maps.
• Disaster Management: Emergency services use spatial data in managing disasters such as fires and floods and to help them predict the likely impact of incidents such as cyclones.

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Why is the ASDI important?

Over time, many organisations and governments have made major investments in collecting spatial data. This data is a national resource that is fundamental to good decision-making. Managing this type of information, and maximising its use, has become a focus for both developed and undeveloped countries around the world.

In the United States, for example, the President signed an Executive Order in 1994 for the coordination of geographic data acquisition and access through their National Spatial Data Infrastructure. Canada has developed the Canadian Geospatial Data Infrastructure, with funding of C$60 million over five years.

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Who is implementing the ASDI?

ANZLIC - the spatial information council, is the peak inter-governmental council responsible for the coordination of spatial information management in Australia and New Zealand. It provides focus and leadership for the spatial information community and is responsible for leading the development of the ASDI.

Within the Commonwealth, a three-tiered structure has been implemented to coordinate its spatial information interests, especially in relation to access and pricing. The Commonwealth Office of Spatial Data Management (OSDM) acts as the operational part of the structure and is guided by an executive policy group and management group.

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Geoscience Australia initiatives

Geoscience Australia provides a range of national fundamental datasets and manages the gateway to the Australia Spatial Data Directory (ASDD).

Geoscience Australia managed the ASDI Partnership Grants Program which was completed in 2001. It also conducted a number of web mapping initiatives that have now been completed.

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Further Information

For further information on the ASDI visit the ANZLIC, the Spatial Information Council website.