Infrastructure Engineering - Research Publications
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ItemLand information management at the World Bank( 1991-03)The surveying, mapping and land information management industry in both the government and private sectors in Australia has increasingly promoted the export of its expertise to developing countries during the 1980s, particularly in the land administration area. This activity has brought the industry in closer contact with organizations such as the World Bank with a view to increasing Australia’s share of the international consulting market. As a consequence of these developments and the extensive expertise in land management within the World Bank, in both the operational and research areas, the author spent six months undertaking research in land information management in developing countries in the World Bank during the latter half of 1989. This paper summarizes his impressions and experiences from this period but in particular highlights the role and importance of surveying, mapping and land information management as perceived by the World Bank. A major conclusion of the paper is that the surveying profession together with its institutions, systems and technologies is ‘alive and well’ and has a very sound and important future in the developing world.
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ItemCadastral reform: an Australian vision for the 1990s(Dienst van het Kadaster en de Openbare Registers, 1991)Ten years ago cadastral reform was not an issue in Australia. In fact, the term 'cadastre' was not even thought applicable in Common Law jurisdictions; today this view has changed. What is 'cadastral reform' and why has it become a key issue in Australasia over the last few years, are key elements of this paper.This chapter recognises that present Australian cadastral systems had their genesis in the 19th Century and, as a consequence, many of our practices, laws and regulations and institutional arrangements are not applicable in today's society. In reforming our cadastral systems, the paper looks at the major pressures which are instigating change. In particular, the chapter emphasises that an holistic approach is necessary in reforming cadastral systems while recognising that cadastral systems are fast becoming spatial information systems, in parallel with the community as it moves into the era of an information society.As an example of the growing interest in cadastral reform, the recent conference 'Cadastral Reform 1990', the first of its type in Australia, is reviewed.
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ItemNo easy road: accountability in modern education for professional surveyors( 1991)In any economy where public expenditure on higher education accounts for a sizeable proportion of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), equity in spending and equality of access have long been considered to be crucial issues in the political arena. They still are. However, we now find that it is concerns about the efficiency of higher education provision, and especially its quality, form, content and relevance, which are now expressed most stridently. In turn, this has led to demands for more coherent planning and management control systems in higher education generally within which the accountability of the institution, the professional school and the individual academic is a sine qua non. Then, in the space of a decade or so, the well-defended vocational walls which have surrounded land information professionals, especially land surveyors, have begun to be breached in many parts of the world. Primarily, this process is due to the advent of new information and positioning systems, including Land Information Systems (LIS), Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and Global Positioning Systems (GPS) over which surveyors have no particular lien. This has been coupled with other powerful external forces such as professional deregulation. Quite simply, there is a new game, new turf and new players. Things are not what they used to be - nor will they ever return to what they were. Unfortunately, many wish that they would and a laager mentality is still alive and well in the worlds of surveying academe and professional surveying practice alike. Yet, some individuals and institutions have, with not a little delight, welcomed the opportunities which change invariably brings and, moreover, achieved success. This success is due, in no small way, to the vigorous adoption of a variety of innovative measures of modern academic management including the process of proper accountability and the introduction of performance indicators. There is also the matter of a growing and increasingly vociferous consumer lobby. In a number of countries, including Australia, New Zealand and Great Britain, tertiary students have had to sustain substantial increases in direct charges for their courses. In practice, the alternative cost-recovery mechanisms range across the charging spectrum and include: full-cost fees, supplementary top-up fees for certain courses, repayable loans and inflation-indexed graduate taxes. Yet, whatever the charging mechanism, it would be surprising if the natural querulousness of students regarding their education anyway were not intensified by the forceful expression of dissatisfaction if they consider the education they receive as representing poor value for money. It would also be surprising if there is not increased pressure from both public-sector and private-sector employers of surveying graduates for greater accountability to be demonstrated by those involved in professional surveying education. Many of these employers have been put through an "economic wringer" by governments set on obtaining efficiency and effectiveness in the national economy. Moreover, to survive in the medium term and long term, they know that they need that essential input which comes from fresh, active, and capable young minds able to respond to the new challenges, not those of twenty years ago. To put it bluntly, academic accountability is not just a fashionable word. Increasingly, it is a powerful and necessary, albeit emotive, issue for governments, tertiary-education institutions, individual academics, tax-payers and students alike. The reality of the academic environment today is that the introduction of accepted management practices - strategic plans, performance appraisal and business plans to name but three - are all becoming part of the daily routine. However, a major problem which accompanies the introduction of increased accountability for the tertiary-education sector in Australia lies with the lack of proper provision, within the new performance appraisal process, for financial rewards for individual high-achieving academics. This contrasts markedly with the private sector and, indeed, with some parts of government where performance payments are the norm. Thus, in a sense, the tertiary-education sector has been both squeezed by government and also put through the "economic wringer" as well. Moreover, this has happened at a time in Australia when academic salaries have fallen, in relative terms, well behind teachers and other related professionals. The net, and worrying, result is that many of the best people are leaving universities, while at the same time it is very difficult to attract suitable professionals into the tertiary-education sector. The purpose of this paper is four-fold. First, we outline what is meant by accountability. Then, we will explore the manner in which accountability fits into the rapidly-changing world of higher-education management. The third objective is to examine the various inter-mingled relationships and responsibilities of the major role-players in professional surveying education. Finally, we consider the need for and introduction of suitable performance indicators to provide an essential underpinning to the academic accountability process. We offer no apology for using the management practices at the University of Melbourne as an example throughout the paper. Quite simply, it is sensible to comment on that which one knows well. Moreover, in dealing with some issues of potential contention and sensitivity, it seemed more prudent to remain reasonably "close to home". Naturally, it is recognised that similar processes would be found in other institutions to varying degrees.
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ItemThe need for improved forms of conceptual models in Geographical Information System development( 1991)While numerous books have been published in the past two decades on the subject of information system development methodologies, it is now recognized that these techniques need modification to suit the peculiar nature of Geographical Information Systems (GIS). However, regardless of how system development life-cycles might be varied to suit GIS, the use of models remains a common feature of the development of any information system. It is argued that high-level conceptual models, as used in the initial system evaluation phase, are perhaps the most important type of model in terms of providing an overall picture of what the system is designed to achieve -- yet they remain the least understood. The aim of this paper is to provide a greater understanding of their role and purpose and to highlight their importance in effective GIS development and implementation. Suggestions are also made for improving the form and content of conceptual models so that their meaning becomes clearer
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ItemCadastral reform : an Australian vision for the 1990s( 1991)Ten years ago cadastral reform was not an issue in Australia. In fact, the term 'cadastre' was not even thought applicable in Common Law jurisdictions; today this view has changed. What is 'cadastral reform' and why has it become a key issue in Australasia over the last few years, are key elements of this paper. This chapter recognises that present Australian cadastral systems had their genesis in the 19th Century and, as a consequence, many of our practices, laws and regulations and institutional arrangements are not applicable in today's society. In reforming our cadastral systems, the paper looks at the major pressures which are instigating change. In particular, the chapter emphasises that an holistic approach is necessary in reforming cadastral systems while recognising that cadastral systems are fast becoming spatial information systems, in parallel with the community as it moves into the era of an information society. As an example of the growing interest in cadastral reform, the recent conference 'Cadastral Reform 1990', the first of its type in Australia, is reviewed.
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ItemLand information management in urban areas( 1991)The paper discusses the role of land information systems (LIS) in the management of cities; LIS in the urban context are defined, the reasons for having urban LIS are listed, the benefits of having urban LIS are discussed and problems of implementation are highlighted. The paper also considers the relationship between the establishment of a land information system in a city and a state or national land information system strategy.
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ItemEducating Surveyors for the Next Century-Issues and Strategies( 1991)In designing a degree course for surveyors which will serve their needs in the next century, there are many issues to be addressed. Firstly, the changing requirements of the community regarding professorial skills required from the surveyor need to determined and then translated into appropriate academic courses. Secondly, the ongoing dilemma in surveying education concerning the dichotomy between emphasing land management and land related issues, and the science and technology of surveying, must be addressed. Thirdly, the subject streams must be designed so, that they reflect current developments in technology and the underlying sciences.This paper reviews the vision of the surveying degree programs at The University of Melbourne and discusses some 0: the strategies in addressing the above issues. In particular, the paper reviews the market for surveying skills in the next century, considers the land measurement and measurement science dichotomy, summaries major considerations in designing a land surveying program for the next century and examines how subject or discipline streams should be designed. In this regard it examines the integration of fundamental theory and applications as a logical sequence throughout the course. Finally, the paper indicates how an undergraduate program can be designedto interface with a range of graduate programs from graduate diplomas through to doctoral studies.