The Australian Spatial Data Infrastructure “Fact and Fiction” Alister Nairn Manager AUSLIG SDI Program

Background to ASDI Commonwealth needs for spatial data Catalysts for action Current ASDI related initiatives Summary TOPICS

Background to ASDI Comparison to US Initiative –Principle & Elements the same –No Executive Order - More cooperative –State / Federal partnership Responsibility –ANZLIC (Nov 1996) –Commonwealth AUSLIG / CSDC

Commonwealth Needs for Spatial Data Most Commonwealth Agencies need for spatial data to support their core responsibilities Data is often held by other Commonwealth, State, Local Govt & private organisations The current approach The emerging direction

Catalysts for Action International trends & Emerging technology Prime Minister’s directive to provide government services online by June 2001 & online strategy encouraging interoperability. Current projects (Coastal Atlas, NLWRA, Oil spill response atlas, MDBC - all use multi jurisdictional data)

Institutional / policy status Each of the 9 Australian jurisdictional govts have coordinating arrangements Together these comprise ANZLIC ASDI is a combination of jurisdictional SDI’s to a level of standard. Policies and practices are similar but different

Institutional / policy status Conformity –Metadata standard (ASDD) –Custodianship guidelines Differences –Pricing policies (new Cth policy) –distribution arrangements –Data standards

ASDI Compliance Concept of a “scoreboard” developed by ANZLIC An audit program has commenced in the Commonwealth. 7 datasets audited to date (see handouts)

Current Clearinghouse Initiatives AUSLIG / CSIRO Clearinghouse Concept Architecture Consultancy Australian Web Mapping Consortium and the Open GIS. Trial projects –Commonwealth Clearinghouse Trial (ICMISS) –IMROC Project –ASDD Developments

Current Initiatives Clearinghouse Concept Architecture General acceptance in CSDC of the MODEL described by CSIRO An access mechanism to a distributed network of fundamental data maintained by custodians & linked by common standards and protocols. More work required on some of the standards - which ones?

Current Initiatives Clearinghouse Architecture

Current Initiatives Open GIS Web Mapping Background. Developed a interoperable test bed and demonstrated at OGC Oct 99. Resulted in a number of web mapping specification standards ( Get…..) Consideration now being given to an Australian OGC SIG to continue involvement.

Current Initiatives Commonwealth Clearinghouse trial A 6 month trial will be undertaken commencing this month. AUSLIG, AGSO, AHO, BRS, MDBC, AODC Trialing CSGI brokering protocol using OGC standards to serve data and provide services in a distributed environment. Results of trial made available

Current Initiatives IMROC System Inner Metropolitan Regional Organisation of Councils awarded an AUSLIG ASDI Partnership Grant Contracted CSIRO to implement a distributed mapping system Uses the Clearinghouse architecture framework and SVG and other protocols to deliver a solution.

Current Initiatives ASDD Developments Current ASDD has 38,601 metadata entries compatible with US system All jurisdictions have a node (except Tas) Some private sector nodes ASDD nodes used as key directory for some applications. Extensions being considered by AMWG as part of new Australian Profile of ISO Metadata std.

Clearinghouse Standards A number of standards exist –ANZLIC Metadata (and extensions) –XML –SVG Others are emerging –ISO TC211 –OGC “Get map”, GML, Catalogue Services Broker / middleware CSGI & RSL

Qld Distribution arrangements Viewing the clearinghouse as the policies governing access to data from custodians with private sector delivery Licencing private sector to take the data and deliver / value add to users No online inter departmental service.

Summary The ASDI promises a lot but need to develop the “glue” to connect SDIs National projects can be the catalyst to make this happen Various levels of compatibility –Policies and pricing –Metadata –Data –On line data access