Speakers Bio & Abstract

Biography
Dr Zaffar Sadiq Mohamed-Ghouse is currently the Director - Business, Research (NSW) & International Relations at CRC for Spatial Information (Australia's peak research organisation for Spatial). He has 18 years of experience in client management, strategic consulting studies, business development, project management, systems review and integration for Utility Industry and Government, design, development and management of spatial databases, review data framework policies, develop spatial analyses techniques and technology including GIS applications development for major clients in Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia and India. He has lead several Multi-Million Dollar National Mapping projects for State and Federal governments in Australia. Zaffar has worked in Australia's leading Engineering Consultancies in Leadership & Executive positions at Sinclair Knight Merz (Now JACOBS) & GHD. Zaffar has published research papers at International and National levels focusing on GIS applications to support such areas as: spatial data infrastructure, data quality, groundwater management, water resources, rural administration; asset management; field data capture; public health management and disaster management. He holds a pivotal role as an adviser to various National and International spatial organisations. He is also a member of several boards and technical committees in Australia and overseas. Zaffar on behalf of Standards Australia has been contributing to the development of ISO Standards in Geoinformation / Geomatics. Zaffar is a recipient of the ?Young Professional Award? by the Surveying Spatial Sciences Institute, Australia.

Appointments:

Chairman of the Board - Locate Conferences Australia
Member Technical Advisory Group - FSDF, Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, Australia
Board Member - Open Digital Earth Foundation
Board Member - Surveying Spatial Sciences Institute
Editorial Board Member - International Journal 3D Information Modeling
Honorary Senior Fellow - The University of Melbourne
University Associate - Curtin University
Visiting Expert - University of Technology, Malaysia Abstract
The presentation will discuss the experience of Australia and New Zealand?s work on Economic Benefit on Value of Spatial Information. The experience of Macro and Micro level studies including specific studies to Earth observation will be discussed. Approaches and methodology for developing economic benefit study including lessons learnt will be shared during the presentation. The following tasks were involved: Review the use and application of spatial services by business, government and the community; Review existing literature of applications of spatial information that could provide information on economic impacts of this application; Identify specific users of these applications for further survey either by direct interview or questionnaire; The data obtained will be used to update earlier estimates of productivity impacts by sector for Australia ; Document the direct & in-direct economic impact of spatial information; Develop Computable General Equilibrium model to estimate the macro / micro economic impacts for spatial information;

The following list of selection criteria were established to assist in the choice of the case studies in the economic benefit analysis.

Significant impact on the costs of meeting government policy objectives and in government service delivery
Relevant to anticipated investment decisions
Significant economic/employment impacts
Relevant to current government/industry policy and investment plans
Significant value chain impact - use/creation of value added products/growth in related and supporting industries
Significant societal benefit

The consultation process probed the users? benefits and costs profile. This requires obtaining information on the nature of the benefits, their impact on the organisations costs (and revenues in the case of the private sector) and the impact that had on the organisations overall productivity or revenue improvement as a proportion of the total revenue of the organisation.