A Local-State Government Spatial Data Sharing Partnership

A Local-State Spatial Data Sharing Partnership Model to Facilitate SDI Development
The survey was conducted between December 2004 and May 2005. Contact was made
with 183 LGAs across three states comprising: 74 in Victoria, 89 in Queensland and 20 in
Tasmania. A total of 110 responses were received including seven responses which were
rejected as either incomplete or invalid. The remaining 103 valid returns represent a
response rate for the survey of 56% (see Table 4.2). This response was considered to be
very satisfactory given the detail requested in the questionnaire and the diversity of local
governments involved. Queensland had the lowest response rate of 54%, but also has
some of the smallest and most geographically remote LGAs in Australia which accounted
for this response rate.
State LGA
Questionnaires
Distributed
Table 4.2 Response rate as a percentage of LGAs
Invalid/Incomplete
Responses
110
Valid
Responses
Response
Rate
Victoria 74 2 42 57%
Queensland 89 4 48 54%
Tasmania 20 1 13 65%
Total 183 7 103 56%
If the response rate is examined from the perspective of the number of properties that are
represented by each LGA, then the overall representation provided by the survey is
significantly higher, approximately 68% (see Table 4.3). Although Queensland had the
lowest response rate based on the number LGA returns, those LGAs that did respond
accounted for approximately 81% of the State’s properties. This is due to the high
response rate of LGAs in the heavily populated south-eastern corner of the state and
coastal communities. This response rate provides a more accurate picture of the local
government representation in the survey and identifies the inclusion of the larger and more
influential local authorities.
Table 4.3 Response rate as a percentage of the number of properties
State Total No. of
Properties
No. of properties in
LGAs responding
Response
Rate
Victoria 2360000 1341958 57%
Queensland 1960000 1586651 81%
Tasmania 247000 158879 64%
Total 4567000 3087488 68%
The data from the questionnaires was automatically collected into an excel spreadsheet via
the web server. This process was extremely effective as it eliminated coding and
transcription errors and facilitated direct transfer to the analysis software.