Topographic News - Issue One - June 2007

Welcome to the first edition of LINZ Topographic News.

Our customers and stakeholders have asked to be better informed about LINZ's services and activities - Topographic News is one of several ways we hope to meet that need.

We intend to update you at least twice a year, to keep you up to date with news and information about LINZ Topographic projects and related topics of interest. Do pass it on to anyone who may be interested.

We value your feedback and would appreciate any ideas for future topics and articles along with ideas for how we can improve this newsletter. Simply email your comments and suggestions to info@linz.govt.nz.

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In this issue:

• New NZTopo50 Map Series underway
• All-of-Government Imagery
• New version of NZTopo BDE out soon
• Changes to Landonline BDE terms and conditions
• National Address Register project update
• LINZ hosts Geospatial Office
• Standards Australia/New Zealand
• International council and committee news
• Geographic Board update

New NZTopo50 Map Series under way

New Zealand's cornerstone 1:50,000 Topographic Map Series 260 is to be replaced by the new NZTopo50 series. Preparatory work is well under way for release in 2009.

The new series will be based on the New Zealand Geodetic Datum 2000 (NZGD2000), and a new projection: New Zealand Transverse Mercator 2000 (NZTM). While the NZTM2000 projection and NZGD2000 are now incorporated into the LINZ digital topographic database, and through NZTopoOnline, the paper maps still use the older New Zealand Map Grid projection and NZGD49 Geodetic Datum.

Fran McNamara, LINZ's NZTopo50 Project Manager says "The main benefit of the new map series is that our primary stakeholders will be able to complete the transition to the new projection across the board at one time, including paper maps".

Although the map projection and geodetic datum will be different, the maps will be similar in appearance and content to the current 260 map series, which is internationally recognised and uses cartographic conventions that are well established around the world."

"The most noticeable change is the switch from landscape to portrait format, with each map in the new series covering a slightly smaller area than before." Fran says.

Stakeholders consulted to date have expressed a preference for a "big bang" approach to the launch of the new map series. Consequently, LINZ is planning to implement the change within a short timeframe, whilst supporting the migration to NZTM2000 through a comprehensive communication and education programme. LINZ has been consulting regularly with stakeholders and will continue to do so throughout the project. An upcoming workshop will provide another opportunity for stakeholders in the defence and emergency management areas to share their plans on how to best make the transition to NZTM2000.

The overall plan is to have new printed maps available in 2009, however LINZ is planning to confirm all target dates towards the end of 2007, Fran says.

Contact for further information: Fran McNamara, Land Information New Zealand, via info@linz.govt.nz or 0800 ONLINE (0800 665 463).

All-of-Government Imagery

A supplier contract is being negotiated for an all-of-government purchase of satellite imagery for New Zealand, South West Pacific and the Ross Dependency.

Initial work was focused on developing a business case as well as preliminary hosting and governance plans. This work has been overseen by an interim governance group whose members include LINZ, New Zealand Defence Force, New Zealand Fire Service and Local Government New Zealand.

Costs and specifications are currently being finalised for the production of natural colour orthoimagery at 0.6m ground sampling distance and 2.4m GSD multi-spectoral products. A regular series of updates from the interim governance group is being made available to those agencies who have registered their interest.

For further information contact:
Malcolm Macfarlane
Manager, Data and Application Services
National Headquarters
New Zealand Fire Service

Email: malcolm.macfarlane@fire.org.nz
DDI: 04 496 3772

New version of NZTopo BDE out soon

LINZ distributes the national topographic vector database (NZTopo) via DVD. The latest bulk data extract (version 14) will be produced during May 2007. It will contain major data updates to the following NZTM sheets: BQ22, BN24, BN25, BV24, BV25, BW24, CE16, CE17 and CE18.

For more information please go to NZTopo technical information

Changes to Landonline BDE terms & conditions

When using Landonline data, third parties have important obligations under The Privacy Act 1993 that must be complied with.

Changes have been made to the agreement in place with users of the Landonline Bulk Data Extract (BDE) to specifically refer to licensees' obligations under The Privacy Act and to clarify that licensees must comply with that Act when using Landonline data.

More information on the BDE service and the changes to the agreement can be found at Landonline bulk data extract.

National Address Register Project update

The National Address Register (NAR) project is an all-of-government project focused on looking at options for improving the provision of address, road and place name information for government agencies. Importantly, the NAR project is consistent with the E-government Strategy and Geospatial Strategy. It requires co-operation and collaboration across a range of stakeholder agencies to achieve its objectives.

Phase 1 of the project, undertaken last year, aimed to define the problem, determine users' actual requirements (current and future), and establish the level and nature of user support for a NAR. Consultation with a wide range of stakeholder agencies showed that there was unanimous support for a central register of location information.

It was established that addresses are the most commonly used location data, although there are inconsistencies and duplication in the way such data is collected and managed. There is a need for a multi-faceted, interagency approach to resolving these issues and to setting up an appropriate platform to meet future needs.

Phase 2 of the project is under way and involves developing a feasible strategy and business model, and undertaking an analysis of economic and social benefits and costs. A finance strategy will be developed that supports the development and ongoing maintenance of a national system to provide authoritative data to support the requirements of emergency services organisations and government administration.

Depending on the outcome of Phase 2, the third phase of the project will involve preparing a viable business case (based on economic and social benefits) and seeking funding for the development and ongoing operation of a NAR.

A Steering Committee has been convened, comprising senior officials from the following agencies:

• State Services Commission (Chair)
• Land Information New Zealand
• Statistics New Zealand
• New Zealand Police
• Ambulance New Zealand
• Local Government (represented by North Shore City Council)
• Ministry of Social Development.

All public sector Chief Executives were updated on the project in early March. Any agencies wishing to be kept informed of the project's progress can request updates by sending their email address to Greg Ralph, NAR Project Manager via info@linz.govt.nz or 0800 ONLINE (0800 665 463).

LINZ hosts Geospatial Office

Work on the New Zealand Geospatial Strategy is well under way with the establishment, in LINZ, of the Geospatial Office and the appointment of an Acting Director.

Dave Loubser joins the Office from the Ministry of Environment where he was Team Leader, Land Use and Carbon Analysis System (LUCAS) Data Collection and Mapping.

Geospatial information drives processes and planning throughout New Zealand society, including the management of hazards and emergencies, defence and transport planning, environmental management, Treaty of Waitangi settlements, and the provision of health services.

"The Geospatial Office is about building closer ties between the all the various keepers of geospatial information," Dave says. "The range of agencies and industry involved proves the importance of this strategy for New Zealand."

The Government began setting up the Geospatial Office earlier this year as part of the Cabinet-approved Geospatial Strategy. Hosted by LINZ, the Geospatial Office has an all-of-government focus. The key geospatial stakeholders - local government, relevant public sector agencies, Crown entities and industry - all participate in decision-making.

The Geospatial Strategy sets out the Government's vision. Now it's up to the Geospatial Office to develop and coordinate the work programme, Dave says.

"With a coordinated approach we can better manage and protect New Zealand's geospatial resources. The Geospatial Office is the engine room. We'll be examining all the different ways this data is collected and used."

The coordinated approach to geospatial information starts at the top. The Minister for Land Information and the Minister for Information Technology are jointly responsible for overseeing implementation of the strategy.

The Geospatial Executives Group (GEG), made up of senior representatives of key public agencies, is responsible for implementing the strategy and overseeing the work of the Geospatial Office.

Contact for further information: David Loubser, Acting Director Geospatial Office, via dloubser@linz.govt.nz or 04 460 0599.

Standards Australia/New Zealand

Through the national standards bodies of Australia and New Zealand, LINZ stays in touch with the international consensus for the management of geospatial information and standardisation/best practice. With Standards New Zealand's help, we monitor the efforts of www.isotc211.org and participate in a joint Australia/New Zealand standards committee which has a programme of work concerned with endorsing (or otherwise) the ISO standards as National Standards.

The ISO/TC211 work, which is a suite of standards, has established a new consensus on conceptualising or modelling geographical features. The number of standards processed to date is quite impressive, and ongoing. Refer www.standards.co.nz ... search the catalogue for ' geographic ' to see the 30+ standards.

LINZ cascades interpretations of the national standards into the NZ Government standards and specifications for geospatial information. The ESA Core Data Specification is an early example of a topographical data model focused on achieving this for defining common location data.

The new national standards, which are facsimiles of the ISOCTC211 standards, are significant in that they redefine the boundaries and conventions for modelling or conceptualising geography for use in digital information systems. They are underpinned by the international ambition to achieve open data interchange by online transactions (ie open interoperability). This aligns with New Zealand's E-government guidelines.

The standards also provide a new consensus on the way to interpret the objects we see in the real world, for encoding within information systems. The adoption of open standards should enable outcomes such as making geospatial information more accessible, easier to use, better described (improved quality), and overall result in a better return on investment for both the data producers and developers of value-add products and services.

International council and committee news

In December 2006, the Australia and New Zealand Spatial Information Council (ANZLIC) Working Group delivered the ANZLIC Metadata Profile which was then endorsed by the ANZLIC Council. The Profile specifies the minimum metadata elements required for typical ANZLIC purposes.

For more information on the ANZLIC Metadata Profile, refer to the ANZLIC website www.anzlic.org.au/metadata/.
The ANZLIC Metadata Working Group is currently progressing associated Guidelines to accompany the Profile.

The Working Group is also assisting ANZLIC in reviewing the options for achieving a Metadata Tool which is required to help create metadata which is encoded to the new standards and used consistently across Australasia for metadata creation and editing.

The ANZLIC initiative is considered important for progressing uptake of the New Zealand Government Geospatial Metadata Standard (NZGMS).

The Intergovernmental Committee on Survey and Mapping (ICSM) Roads Working Group is currently deliberating criteria for consistently classifying roads. This will have relevance to the topographical application schema known as the ESA Data Specification. For more information see http://www.e.govt.nz/standards/e-gif/geospatial-information.

For further information, contact Richard Murcott, via info@linz.govt.nz or 0800 ONLINE (0800 665 463).

Geographic Board update

The latest meeting of the New Zealand Geographic Board Ngā Pou Taunaha o Aotearoa (NZGB) was held on 20 April 2007.

The agenda for the meeting included:

Treaty of Waitangi Settlement names
objections to Flat Bush, Hātea River and Mount Crusader
deferrals/follow-ups from previous Board meetings (including 44 suburb names from the North Shore City Council)
15 new name proposals
Antarctic matters (including 1 new proposal)
legislation matters (including the delay of the new Bill, plus the draft Geographical Indications (Wines and Spirits) Registration Regulations; Policy matters; and miscellaneous items.
Decisions on place names resulting from the meeting will be posted on the LINZ website during June.

The NZGB now has four new members, who were appointed in early 2007. For more go to our NZGB members page.

The New Zealand Geographic Board Ngā Pou Taunaha o Aotearoa is responsible for the process of accepting or rejecting geographical and hydrographic names within New Zealand and its territorial waters. For more information about the NZGB, go to our About the New Zealand Geographic Board page.