New Zealand’s disparate geospatial data systems are to be linked together in a spatial data infrastructure (SDI), following the approval of such a move by Cabinet on Monday.

The infrastructure will link and pool disparate geospatial data held by academia, the private sector, as well as community groups and individuals.
The SDI will be provided by Land Information New Zealand, through the New Zealand Geospatial Office.

In the first half of next year, the New Zealand Geospatial Office will develop a design and implementation plan for the SDI.

The office will work with government agencies, academia, the private sector and community groups to develop the implementation plan.

LINZ chief executive Colin MacDonald said geospatial information is essential for many walks of life.

“It is already hugely important to New Zealand’s economy, and the establishment of an SDI provides the potential for more gains to be made,” he said.

“ If geospatial information were easier to find and use, eliminating the same data being collected again and again, there could be nearly $500m in productivity-related benefits each year – and that’s just using the data we have now, more effectively.”