The Natural Resources Policies and Programs Committee (NRPPC), which comprises senior officers from the Commonwealth, States and Territories, has requested the Australian Government to lead, in consultation with all jurisdictions, further progress on the development of a National Environmental Information System (NEIS).

The form of the NEIS is yet to be defined, but aims to coordinate the collection, analysis, synthesis and delivery of environmental information. As a first step, the Australian Government Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts (DEWHA) has been tasked by NRPPC to undertake a stocktake and assessment of environmental information initiatives across the Australian, State and Territory jurisdictions. This process will include:

• documenting and assessing the range of environmental information initiatives and the links among them; and
  
• critical analysis of previous initiatives in coordinating the collection, analysis, synthesis and delivery of environmental information.

GHD Pty Ltd has been contracted by DEWHA to undertake the project. Input from agencies across the Australian, State and Territory jurisdictions, including both custodians and users of environmental information initiatives has been sought. A series of focus groups has been held in most states/ territories during April. Input is also being gathered through one-on-one interviews and use of a questionnaire.

A very successful and productive half-day focus group was held on Thursday, April 30 at the WALIS Office. The key objectives of the focus group were to:

• engage with key stakeholders across relevant state agencies;
• familiarise key stakeholders with the project and contextual setting; and
  
• seek input from key stakeholders to identify the full range of state environmental information initiatives relevant to the project; and identify key linkages, gaps and issues for consideration in the analysis of environmental information initiatives, from the state perspective.
  

The PowerPoint presentation from the half-day session is available for download.

For further information, please contact Angela.Bradburn@ghd.com.au