Australia: The Western Australia (WA) Committee for the Economic Development of Australia (CEDA) mapped the state’s development using GIS technology, after wrapping up 12 forum sessions for its Inventing the Future project. The map, developed in association with Esri Australia, will provide a visual representation of key issues facing WA over the next 40 years.
Esri Australia’s Western Australian business manager, Tom Gardner, said the map provided those participating in the forums with the visual and geographical context of the wide range of topics that were discussed. “For example, with the state’s population projected to reach 3.5 million by 2050, we need to ensure there are enough hospital beds, classrooms, roads and ports — not to mention energy and water resources.”
Gardner said, “The Inventing the Future map contains, in one application, the locations of major resource projects, demographic data, energy and water assets and other important information on infrastructure.”
Gardner added that the project pinpointed issues that the state will face over the next 40 years. “Many of the issues the state is facing — providing infrastructure, workforce distribution, resource management — relate to the geographical isolation and distribution of these assets.
“As the map clearly demonstrates, location intelligence can bring together often disparate and complex pieces of information and expose patterns and correlations that enable more informed decision-making.”
Source: CIO
