The spatial information industry produces and uses location based data and services. These data and services have become the principal enablers of informed and better decision-making in a wide and rapidly growing range of business, industry, agriculture, government and personal activities.

Location affects nearly everything we do.

At the national and global level, location is at the heart of some of our most pressing problems: environmental degradation, climate change, crime and security, defence, border security, social welfare, asset management, controlling disease and pests, planning our cities, managing and recovering from natural hazards and disasters and coping with poverty and starvation.

Governments use location data to determine where and when their services are needed. Companies make loans and investments, build factories and offices, analyse risks and assign insurance rates according to location decisions. Farmers use location based information to boost their productivity in operations like controlled traffic farming and precision agriculture.

Spatial information also meets many of our personal needs, particularly those arising from our increasing desire for mobility while maintaining instant access to location information – from GPS navigation systems for our vehicles to the rapidly growing use of location based devices for personal communication.

The spatial industry provides the tools and methods to meet, represent, analyze and resolve these important activities and demands of our modern society. It is, therefore, crucial to the information age of the 21st century.

The latest economic study of the industry shows that it contributes up to $12.5 billion annually to Australia’s gross domestic product and that it delivers significant other financial and social benefits. A even more recent study revealed a significant impact on GDP, in excess of $1.2 billion per annum, in New Zealand.