October 2007 eNews
Highlights include WALIS International Forum 2008, WALIS Associate Membership, State Land Information Capture Program (SLICP), State-wide Wetlands Database
What’s Happening in the WALIS Community?
SLIP - Natural Resource Management (NRM)
SLIP-Electronic Land Development Project (eLDP)
SLIP Emergency Management (EM)
WALIS Regional Workshop: Kalgoorlie
Spatial Technology in Schools Competition
WALIS Stakeholders in the News
Online Property Information For Public Access
Marine and Coastal Data Management: a lasting legacy
Statewide Wetlands Database- WetlandBase- has now been updated
Australian Angle
New Geodata Layers for Satellite Imagery
Modeling Proves No Mission Impossible
News from Around the Globe
OGC Announce Geospatial Data Quality Survey
Game Software Could Boost Airport Security
Upcoming Events
Details of events in Australia and around the world
Interesting Website of the Month
What’s Happening in the WALIS Community?
WALIS Forum Update
The WALIS International Forum 2008 will be held on 12-14 March at the Perth Convention Exhibition Centre. The call for abstracts has now closed. We received a large number of submissions, and the Forum is shaping up to be an exciting and interesting event. The Forum program is currently being confirmed and will be available on the website soon. Registrations will open in the next few weeks, so keep checking the website: www.walis.wa.gov.au/forum.
When the WALIS Executive Policy Committee (EPC) met in September this year they endorsed the implementation of an Associate Member Policy for WALIS, which would see WALIS Membership extended beyond WA state government departments. It was agreed that the key function of WALIS is to facilitate the sharing of and access to spatial information and to reduce duplication and that to be effective, coordination needs to occur across as many organisations as possible.
Associate membership is a new membership category will allow federal government, local government, community groups and private organisations to formally become part of WALIS' membership base. Associate membership will open the doors to organisations that previously could not participate as WALIS Members and will allow them to stay up-to-date on WALIS related activities and will provide the opportunity to influence policy and set standards, which means they can play a role in the future strategic direction of WALIS and how it operates.
In late September, NGIS was the first, hopefully of many, to sign the Associate Member of WALIS Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). The MoU encourages Associate Members to actively contribute to the operations of WALIS and incorporate its policies and principles into its own business practises, where appropriate. For further information visit the NGIS website.
Landgate launched SLIP Enabler is due to be launched to private industry early 2008. Currently agencies are connected to SLIP Enabler and there are 153 datasets available. Landgate is working to finalise the Operation Level Agreements for sign-off in the near future.
SLIP - Natural Resource Management (NRM)
Data and information surveys have been conducted with NRM Regional Groups to assess spatial data being used and produced through Regional projects. These surveys are now being finalised for Northern Agricultural and Rangelands Regions. Surveys were completed and reports produced for Swan, Avon, South-West and South Coast Regions in July. To read on visit the WALIS website
SLIP-Electronic Land Development Project (eLDP)
The eLDP program is in the midst of preparing a tender for the core application design and development, which will soon go to the marketplace. Development is expected to commence in earnest in the second quarter of 2008. Consultation with various State Government agencies and Local Government Authorities will re-commence once the tender process is underway.
SLIP-Interest Enquiry (IE)
The production date for IE spatial pilot has been moved to 28/11/2007 due to project inter-dependencies. The initial production release will be to a limited number of customers with a full launch in December 2007. The system is poised to enter the User Acceptance Testing environment. Phase 3 of the project which is about adding additional priority Interests to the system will commence in the near future.
SLIP- Emergency Management (EM)
The SLIP-EM services are currently being maintained for restricted operational (FESA and WA Police) and are being used to support various cross agency exercises (Bushfire, USAR, HAZMAT). The pilot service is currently being further configured to provide support for state Tropical Cyclone operations.
SLICP Programme for 2008/2009
WALIS Office has commenced preparation to call for submissions for the State Land Information Capture Program (SLICP) for 2008/2009. Submissions can be made to meet specific needs of the requesting agency. The SLICP callout will be distributed widely in late November. For more information contact Dan Sandison at: dan.sandison@walis.wa.gov.au.
WALIS Regional Workshop: Kalgoorlie
The WALIS Office presented a regional workshop in Kalgoorlie on 11 October 2007 at the Curtin University Seminar Room. This workshop aimed to introduce and examine the range of spatial information (GIS) data products available, how to access them, who to contact, and how they can be used. It was a small but quality group of people who attended the workshop.
Areas covered were “What is WALIS” and the State Land Information Capture Program (SLICP), presented by Dan Sandison from the WALIS Office. An overview of the Shared Land Information Platform (SLIP) was also presented by Dan. Marty Stamatis from Landgate presented the “Topographic Geodatabase”. Karen Barns from the WALIS Office did the final presentation on “Interragator+” and “WA Atlas”.
WALIS News issue 29 Spring 2007 is due to be released in early November. If you would like to be added to the WALIS News mailing list, please contact gen.gongora-mesas@walis.wa.gov.au.
Spatial Technology in Schools Competition
Schools projects are due at the end of October and will be, will be assessed in the first week of November. The prize giving event for the year will be held on the 8th of November at Kings Park from 12- 2pm. All students’ mentors and teachers that have participated in the competition this year are welcome to attend. For more information contact Bronwen Channon, STiS competition coordinator, on 0415 593 772 or stiscomp@bigpond.com by the 31st of October.
WALIS Stakeholders in the News
Online Property Information for Public Access
Landgate has released a new range of online property information services specifically for public access. People need only visit www.landgate.wa.gov.au to purchase property sales reports, certificate of titles, survey and strata plans and property market analysis reports.
Payment is by credit card and the information will arrive by email within minutes. This information has always been available to the public by request at one of Landgate’s counters, but it’s the first time it’s been this easy to access via the Internet. It means that anyone buying or selling property, or just wanting to find out how property prices compare in their neighbourhood, can acquire the latest data very quickly.
More services will become available online soon. Easily accessible property information is Landgate’s response to a growing public demand for instant property information. For further information Visit: www.landgate.wa.gov.au.
DEC has been working on a project to gather information about its road assets to better manage road condition and safety. The project has collected a significant amount of engineering information about the roads as well as spatial location. Improved definition of roads on DEC managed estate will be incorporated into the state topographic database at Landgate. The GIS Section has been in discussions with Landgate on establishing a pilot project to test the feasibility of DEC staff editing the Landgate’s topographic database from DEC. for more information contact: John.Dunn@dec.wa.gov.au
Marine and Coastal Data Management: a lasting legacy
The Western Australian Marine Science Institute is holding a free public seminar on Thursday 25th October 2007. For those who are interested in finding out more about what is happening nationally and here is Western Australia on Marine Data Management Information. For more information, [click here].
State wide Wetlands Database- WetlandBase- has now been updated
Until now, significant databases of wetland information were independently kept within Government Agencies, research institutions and regional organisations and not readily available to the wider community. WetlandBase brings wetlands data together from various sources enabling it to be viewed and queried through an easy to use web interface. The information that can be accessed will provide natural resource managers, decision makers, and managers with a strategic planning tool in the form of a database that contains data for wetlands state wide. It will also provide public access to wetlands information through a single portal and identify gaps in survey and monitoring data for wetland areas through the collation of existing data state wide. Click here for Wetlands website
Australian Angle
ANZLIC Metadata Profile
The ANZLIC Metadata Profile Version 1.1 was approved at the August Council Meeting and is now on the ANZLIC Web Site at the following URL: http://www.anzlic.org.au/metadata_project.html
New Geodata Layers for Satellite Imagery
Geoscience Australia's popular GEODATA TOPO 250K Series 3 topographic vector data is now available for general use without the need for expensive or sophisticated Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Geoscience Australia
Modelling Proves No Mission Impossible.
Complex modelling work completed by CSIRO has helped identify and solve flow distribution problems at BP’s Bulwer Island refinery, saving the company millions of dollars in operating costs. To read on visit: CSIRO
News From Around the Globe
OGC Announce Geospatial Data Quality Survey
October 17, 2007. Wayland, MA. The OGC® Technical Committee's Spatial Data Quality Working Group (WG) has been gathering information and requirements from OGC members for the past year and has now begun primary research on spatial data quality measures. Their survey on spatial data quality went live on Monday, October 15, targeting thousands of geospatial data suppliers and users from around the world. To find out more and for a link to the survey visit: OGC
Game Software Could Boost Airport Security
Guards are usually told to patrol in a random fashion but, being human, they tend to form habits that patient criminals can exploit. To help make their rounds less predictable, Paruchuri and colleagues created software based on game theory that simulates various random paths that a guard could take around Los Angeles International airport (LAX), and also how criminals might react. New Scientist
Upcoming Events
South East Asian Survey Congress (SEASC)
30 October - November: 9th, Christchurch
Incorporating NZIS, Trans Tasman Surveyors and CASLE Conferences; Developing Enquiries to Arna Wahl Davies <arna@conference.co.nz> on +64-3-379-0390; www.surveyors.org.nz/congress2007
IMTA (Asia Pacific) Region Conference & Trade Show; Connecting the Business of Maps in the Asia Pacific
2-3 November: Gold Coast International Hotel, Surfers Paradise, Queensland
International Map Trade Association
Enquiries to +61-8-8357-1777; <imtaaspac@chariot.net.au>; www.maptrade.org
12d User Conference
13 November 2007, Brisbane
Email conference@12d.com; www.12d.com
14 November: Mapped Out 2007; Spatial Data to Enhance the Operation and Delivery of Government Services; Riverina Spatial Information Group and REROC; Wagga Wagga; Enquiries to +61-02-6931-6050; <mail@reroc.com.au>; www.reroc.com.au
Australia Pacific Spatial Excellence Awards 2007
22 November 2007, Luna Park, Sydney
Enter APSEA 2007 - download the Entrants Information Kit here. The annual Asia-Pacific Spacial Excellence Awards (APSEA) are the premier event for recognising excellence in the industry and profession. The 2007 Presentation Dinner will be held in Sydney, on Thursday 22nd November 2007 at Luna Park. The evening's activites will commence at 6.30pm for pre-dinner drinks and the cost will be $150 or $95 for Young Professionals. For more information, contact SSI on (02) 6282 2282.
ESRI Asia Pacific User Conference
17-18 January 2008, Tokyo, Japan
For more information visit the ESRI website.
WALIS International Forum 2008
12-14 March 2008, Perth Convention Exhibition Centre, Perth
Registrations for the WALIS International Forum 2008 will open very soon! WALIS Forum is one of the premier GIS events in Australia, attracting over 650 participants from a diverse range of professions. For more information, visit the conference website at http://www.walis.wa.gov.au/forum/ or email forum@walis.wa.gov.au to register your interest.
Interesting Website of the Month
Oxford University Physics Department run project were members of the public analyse data from Sloan Digital Sky Survey. Visit: Galaxy Zoo
Disclaimer: The information contained in this newsletter is provided for general information purposes. It does not constitute professional or expert advice and you must not use or rely upon it for that purpose. WALIS and the State of Western Australia, do not guarantee and do not accept responsibility for the accuracy, currency, completeness and reliability of the information contained in this newsletter. The opinions contained in the information do not necessarily reflect the opinions of WALIS or the State of Western Australia. Links to other Internet sites are provided for your convenience only and they do not constitute an endorsement, approval or recommendation of the material contained in those other Internet sites. It is your responsibility to evaluate the relevance, accuracy, completeness and reliability of material contained in those other Internet sites.