National Topographic Information Coordination Initiative

Collaboration, Coordination and Collection - Australia's National Topographic Information Coordination Initiative (NTICI)

Geoscience Australia formally collaborates with State and Territory location information agencies to manage topographic information collection and management. All jurisdictions, including Geoscience Australia, use the National Topographic Information Coordination Initiative (NTICI) to ensure topographic information is collected and managed once while being used and applied for many purposes.

In 2004 the Permanent Committee on Topographic Information (PCTI) developed the NTICI framework to facilitate a cooperative, cost effective and mutually beneficial approach to the collection of Australia's topographic information.

NTICI recognises the different but complementary roles and responsibilities location information agencies play across all jurisdictions - Commonwealth, State and Territory - and focuses on ensuring the data is managed by the data custodian.

Since its inception, projects undertaken through NTICI have evolved due to changing government policies, business requirements and technology which have influenced the type of data captured and the methods used. Initially, projects focussed on the acquisition of data for topographic mapping, which, at times, were generalised to match cartographic specifications. Now, the key driver is the collection of rich information to support a range of user requirements such as:

• the capture and networking of surface water data for auditing and modelling water security;
• the definition of Australia's coastline to determine maritime boundaries;
• the acquisition and analysis of high resolution elevation data products for flood mitigation and natural hazard risk assessments;
• the location of rural and remote buildings to better understand built environment exposure for natural hazard risk assessments and emergency management response and recovery.

For further information please refer to Intergovernmental Committee on Surveying and Mapping.