Statistical Spatial Framework Increasing the Relevance of Statistics GRAPHC Ben Searle September 2012

Growing Demand Expectation for information in a geographic context Google Maps has made ‘location information a commodity’ Spatial technology is also a commodity Desktop maps, phones, iPads, mobile devices etc Increasing understanding of the value of applying a location to any information Demand for information within a spatial context is growing in all areas of the community – governments, companies, researchers and the public. There is an increasing expectation that information will be available from a location based perspective. Demand is growing and spatial technology is getting cheaper to the point of now being a commodity. Think of navigation using mobile phones, in car navigation, WhereIs web sites and many other common applications of spatial technologies.

International Need The UN Economic and Social Council says “The work on global geospatial information management over the past two to three years has confirmed that one of the key challenges is a better integration of geospatial and statistical information as a basis for sound and evidence-based decision-making.” Secretary-General, UN Economic and Social Council (2012)

What is the Spatial Community Doing? Spatial Data Infrastructure development Australian Government – APS200 Location States and Territories Research Community – CRC SI Many countries – EU INSPIRE International – UN Global Geographic Information Management

SDI focus on the physical (natural) and built environments. 3D Models

Statistical Spatial Framework Linking the spatial and statistical communities Spatial Community Statistical Framework There is already an overlap between these two distinct communities but the links are generally very limited and do not follow a consistent approach. Statisticians have been using geography for some time and the spatial community are beginning to bring statistical information into their activities. The time is right to provide a consistent approach to linking the spatial community to the statistical world.

Statistical Spatial Framework A statistical framework will establish another series of layers on top of spatial infrastructures A spatial data infrastructure consists of a number of layers describing the physical environment with some additional ‘man-made’ features such as boundaries. A statistical spatial framework would compliment this with additional ‘layers’ comprising an additional set of boundaries using the ASGS and also layers of significant social, economic and environmental statistics..

Statistical Spatial Framework Providing the statistical equivalent of topography, roads, rivers and boundaries Providing a social, economic and environmental statistics context ‘layer’ Providing a consistent approach to ‘people-centric decision making and service delivery focussed activities. Adding value to agencies’ administrative data by enabling linkages through a common spatial framework Providing a common location based methodology

Statistical Spatial Framework Metadata Common geographic boundaries Data management: geo-referenced unit record data Agreed and authoritative geocoding Best Practice Statistical Spatial Framework Developing interoperability between statistical and spatial metadata Policies, standards and guidelines, covering: confidentiality and privacy, data quality, analysis, dissemination and visualisation. Australian Statistical Geography Standard (ASGS) Geo-reference is a NAMF compliant geocode or ASGS Mesh Block. National Address Management Framework Australian Application of SSF The Statistical Spatial Framework is comprised of four main components and a fifth element that supports the statistical content issues specifically privacy and confidentiality of the statistical information as it is included in the Framework. The first component is NAMF. This is the national and consistent approach to validating and geocoding addresses. Once geocoded, it is recommended that the geocode is retained with the unit level data within the data management environment. This enables linking of the unit data to any geographic boundary. The third component is the Australian Statistical Geography Standard (ASGS). ASGS is a people focused set of geographic boundaries. The forth component is the link between statistical and spatial metadata. This is needed to ensure that the required statistical information for the required geographic area is discoverable and accessible. The final component consists of a number of policies etc in relation to the statistical or administrative data that may be structured within the Framework. The other components relate to the Framework, this component relates to the data used within the Framework. Issues such as privacy and confidentiality need to be recognised.

Statistical Spatial Framework ABS Governance And External Linkages ABS Statistical Spatial Framework Steering Committee National STSS Research Community International UN-GGIM Australian Government ASAC AGSF ANZLIC SIBA CRC SI APS200 OSP OGC Statistical Spatial The ABS approach to establishing the Statistical Spatial Framework is based on establishing governance and engagement strategies. Within ABS, a Steering Committee has been established, chaired by a Deputy Statistician and comprising First Assistant and Assistant Statisticians. This committee has now given a mandate to a previously informal community of interest in ABS. Externally, ABS is engaging with the APS200 Locaiton Project and with the Office of Spatial Policy and through existing ABS mechanisms. Nationally, ABS is engaging with ANZLIC and also through the ABS Regional Offices directly to the central agencies within each State and Territory. Internationally, the ABS has joined the Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) and is working with them on the possible internationalisation of the Framework. Other linkages are being established through the ABS’s involvement in various UN related activities.

What Might the SSF Look Like What Might the SSF Look Like? Experimental Example from DSE Victoria Energy Usage

Zoom to council boundary SA 2 view

Zoom to SA 1 view

Zoom to Meshblock plus time-series popup

Land Accounts experimental capability for the Barrier Reef region of Queensland. Contains a range of statistical data at the Statistical Area 1 (SA!) Level including: Boundary information, population and business counts Rateable value and land use Dynamic land cover Fire, temperature and rainfall

Conclusion Statistical Spatial Framework offers a common approach to spatially enabling ‘people’ focussed statistical and administration information Right time, right concept

QUESTIONS