Australia is at risk of not achieving growth potential in the sector, according to 95% of industry leaders. Source: Japan Meteorological Agency satellite Himawari 8
Insights from Australia’s spatial thought leaders have been compiled into the first report from the 2026 Spatial Industry Transformation and Growth Agenda. The initiative, known also as the 2026Agenda, is aimed at ensuring that Australia’s spatial industry is best positioned to evolve and make the most of key growth opportunities.
As part of this, the 2026Agenda has published the results of its first stage of in-sector consultation. The key findings of 40 interviews with thought leaders across the spatial sector in Australia have been compiled and published in the Spatial Sector: Insights Report.
To get stories like this delivered to your mailbox every week, subscribe to our weekly newsletter.Among its many findings, the report highlighted that 95% of those interviewed believe spatial technology organisations in Australia are either not achieving growth potential, or that growth opportunities are being captured by other industry sectors.
95% of those interviewed believe spatial technology organisations in Australia are either not achieving growth potential, or that growth opportunities are being captured by other industry sectors.”
The report summarises the current barriers to growth and presents key thoughts about where transformation needs to focus over the next 10 years.
Results to questions 7, ‘What should be the major technology changes?’
The major key areas where this growth should occur were found to include Single Data Infrastructure S(DI), National Positioning Infrastructure (NPI), Foundation Spatial Data Framework (FSDF), Application Programming Interface (API), and Information and Communication Technology (ICT).
The 2026Agenda comes following a Price Waterhouse Coopers study in 2015 estimating a 30% pa growth in geoservices globally and a lack of initiatives to capitalise on this trend in Australia.
The timeline published on the 2026agenda website.
The full consultation is composed of 4 phases: In-sector Consultation, Outside Sectors Consultation, Leadership Forums and National Consultation.
Building on information gathered so far, the 2026Agenda team is developing what will be the first iteration of a draft vision and needs statement for development of the 10-year rolling roadmap: the 2026Agenda: Ideas Discussion Paper. This will aim to devise initiatives as well as map out an action plan and roadmap.
These ideas will be collected through national consultation, including the Leadership Forums taking place across Australia in September and October 2016.
The 2026 Agenda coordinating working party currently includes SIBA, ANZLIC, the Australian Earth Observation Community Coordination Group, CRCSI, CSIRO (Data61), Landgate, Geoscience Australia, Queensland Government, and the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet.
For further information and to view the Report, visit the 2026Agenda website.
