ArcGIS Online, developed by global GIS pioneer Esri, is a complementary web application that allows users to create and share interactive maps.
The offering, based on the same sophisticated mapping applications used by the Australian Defence Force, provides smaller groups within the public sector the opportunity to explore a technology which has transformed how governments are engaging with their constituents.

Speaking on the eve of the spatial@gov Conference in Canberra, Esri Australia Government sector specialist Craig Sandy said the potential for smaller government departments to benefit from free access to the application was enormous.

“Australia’s $2.1 billion GIS industry is experiencing unprecedented growth with the rise of mobile web access, and the proliferation of mobile devices with location capabilities,” Mr Sandy said.

“People are becoming increasingly reliant on accessing and viewing information, such as the location of public amenities, in the visual context of a map.

“Now, more than ever, all levels of government require access to GIS technology, to deliver services to their constituents, as well as for policy development and program delivery.

“ArcGIS Online introduces this powerful mapping capability to councils and government departments at all levels by providing everyone with access to an intelligent GIS platform.”

Mr Sandy said governments could use ArcGIS Online to create maps linked to their websites, showing the location of health facilities, dog friendly parks, public works in progress or tourist attractions. 

“The open availability and accessibility of ArcGIS Online gives departments the capability to provide the community with greater access to their data using the common and easy to understand language of maps,” Mr Sandy said.

“ArcGIS Online offers a taste of the same award-winning location-based technology used by the Brisbane City Council during the floods for their Flood Map, which was accessed three millions times by the public at the height of the crisis.

“Having an online GIS capability available to all parts of the public sector will deliver greater government accountability and ultimately better services to the community.”

ArcGIS Online is maintained through cloud infrastructure, a web-based storage system that enables users to both store and manage their maps and geographic information, and provides ready access to the wider community.

Mr Sandy said, by storing their maps in the cloud, government departments could also reduce their resources footprint, making them more economically viable and environmentally friendly.

“Having a cloud-based system means departments will save electricity as well as costs on servers and other equipment that is traditionally used to store and distribute this type of information,” Mr Sandy said.

“Extend these savings across potentially hundreds of government departments and the positive impact to budgets and the environment will be enormous.”

Mr Sandy said ArcGIS Online had come at a time when people were more spatially aware than ever before.

“At Esri Australia, we feel a real sense that GIS is on the threshold of an exciting new frontier,” Mr Sandy said.

“ArcGIS Online bridges the gap between the simple online maps which have been popularised by Google and Bing, and Esri’s offering, which draws on a rich development history spanning more than 40 years.

“It opens GIS up to everybody – and provides a glimpse of what lies ahead with this exciting technology.”

The spatial@gov Conference brings spatial industry and government representatives together to examine the role of GIS technologies in increasing access to public sector information, disaster management, defence operations, and other areas related to Australia’s three tiers of government.