The capability of spatial data is so relevant for the public and private sectors a federal minister has pleaded its case, giving the technologies a push into horizontal markets and the mainstream.
Opening spatial@gov forum on Wednesday, the Honourable Martin Ferguson, Federal Minister for Resources and Energy and Tourism, assured a business and government audience that he will be acting as the Australian spatial industry’s advocate, presenting the essential value of spatial technologies for regional areas to Minister for Regional Development, Simon Crean MP.
Mark the date: spatial@gov 2011 will be held on 15-17 November 2011 at the National Convention Centre, Canberra.
Referring to technologies from the spatial@gov exhibition, Mr Ferguson was adamant the value of these technologies must now be taken heed of, particularly in the areas of health monitoring and regional development.
“The use of spatial technologies supports many of our [government’s] activities, from climate and environment to education and health.
“The proper use of these can clearly inform government decision-making … I will be talking to Minister Simon Crean about the importance of these activities in the very near future”, said Minister Ferguson in his keynote presentation to almost 500 conference delegates.
The minister explained spatial data and the mapping capabilities it allowed was something that must now be embraced by both government and the broader community to allow Australia to progress and ‘bridge the gap’ between regional and metropolitan areas.
He also applauded the benefits that the world-class local spatial technology sector had already allowed the Australia mining industry.
“Australia’s early adoption of this technology has made us one of the most efficient resource producers in the world by increasing the accuracy of drilling, helping reduce costs to industry, increasing productivity and, therefore, reducing transport costs on site.
“It has also reduced onsite accidents dramatically – an area where I believe there is further necessity for improvement, both domestically and internationally”, said Minister Ferguson.
Referencing his other portfolio of ministerial responsibilities, Minister Ferguson also heralded the value of GPS for popular tourist activities such as 4-wheel driving. While tourism is an important driver for the Australian economy, Minister Ferguson also raised the social significance of these for tourists visiting non-metropolitan areas of Australia that were reliant on spatial technology and GPS.
‘[Regional tourism] plays a very important role in supporting indigenous employment, on which we as a nation need to ensure we make further progress to assist in closing the gap.”
With the global financial downturn slowing overseas travel into Australia and the strength of the Australia dollar inspiring more of us to spend our holiday dollars overseas, anything that supports the local industry is now key.
In his final words to the forum, Minister Ferguson also urged Australian industry to get in on the advantage spatial capabilities offered to business.
“[Spatial technology] can assist in the delivery of services and the development of business, and assist in services making Australia even more productive and capable of actually holding its own in a tough globally competition world,” Minister Ferguson said.
Mark the date: spatial@gov 2011 will be held on 15-17 November 2011 at the National Convention Centre, Canberra.
