A Local-State Government Spatial Data Sharing Partnership

A Local-State Spatial Data Sharing Partnership Model to Facilitate SDI Development
include data sharing partnerships or SDI development should be supported by data sharing
partnerships. So, are partnerships driving SDI development or is SDI development driving
partnerships? This research supports the notion that spatial data sharing partnerships are
primarily driven by business needs, and in doing so, they support SDI initiatives. National
SDI policy frameworks and standards play a guiding role in SDI development, but it is the
sub-national efforts, particularly through partnerships, that will continue to progress SDI
development.
7.6 Generalisation of the Partnership Model
The data sharing partnership model was designed with the coordinated and systematic
sharing of spatial data between state and local governments as its primary goal. However,
many of the principles in the development of the partnership model can be applied to other
jurisdictional levels such as state/federal jurisdictions, within individual jurisdictions, and
between governments and the private sector. Some of these possible applications of the
model are now discussed.
7.6.1 Application to State-Federal Data Sharing Partnerships
The key to the success of the local-state government partnerships in the three states
investigated was an underlying business need for the information being exchanged. The
common theme of the partnerships investigated was the sharing of property related
information, which is a core business activity at both state and local levels. Therefore, the
application of the model for state-federal partnerships should also have a common business
need as the basis for the engagement. An understanding of the state-national jurisdictional
environments will be important, particularly the ability to link the data sharing partnership
to an appropriate federal sponsor and align it to current policy initiatives.
In Australia, state and federal governments co-operate within a number of portfolios,
including security, law enforcement, community services, land management, health,
resource management and taxation. A good example of a suitable data sharing partnership
would be the establishment of a national strategy to monitor and manage water distribution
and rights across Australia. In Australia, the state governments manage the rights
associated with water, however the federal government has identified the potential for
improved efficiencies by having a national approach to water management. The
developed model would be equally applicable to state-federal government partnerships
subject to a change in emphasis on the different model components.
Perhaps the greatest emphasis in the example given should be placed on the components of
Governance, Partnership Strategy and Formulation and Partnership Management. The
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