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Regional development served by smoother access to cadastre

Local Government bodies are developing a more attractive business environment and enhanced community structure by increasing access to cadastral information through the Business Entry Point (BEP) initiative.

Simplifying the access procedures and making cadastral information more readily available to the business community will help to stimulate fundamental industries, such as the building and land development sector, by reducing the time and effort required for compliance and application procedures.

The Commonwealth Government's BEP initiative is aiming to reduce the compliance burden on businesses by providing a single entry point for a broad range of business transactions. The service, which is available over the Internet and by phone, is a free, comprehensive, secure and reliable way for business operators to access Commonwealth, State, Territory and Local Government information and resources.

All levels of government are cooperating in resolving policy and technical issues to further the BEP. Traditionally, government has been involved in providing and utilising cadastral databases in connection with a range of planning, mapping and asset management facilities in order to service industries such as building, real estate, development and engineering.

Digitising the cadastral databases in the past decade was the culmination of cooperation between state surveying and mapping organisations, the surveying industry and advances in information technology. Much of the traditional cadastral data applied to parcel boundary information. However, the information now available has become more sophisticated in terms of quality, variety and scope.

BEP will help make access to that data much simpler and its transfer faster and smoother. As the use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) has become more widespread, end users have become aware of the potential of cadastral database information and more reliant on securing it quickly and efficiently.

Councils will be able to marry data across regions by using a generic structure for gathering and mapping this GIS information. The GIS systems have grown independently and often data from one area will not match that of a neighbouring area, although it deals with the same topic.

To overcome this in the past, technical services divisions have needed to create physical 'layers' across the data, or Councils have needed to embark on the huge task of developing standardised methods and codes of practice.

The automation of systems and methods of categorising large quantities of information through meta data and mapping technology has built a store of information which is more readily available in a general, user friendly format. And it is initiatives such as the BEP which will make it widely and cost effectively accessible.

This will be a boon to industries which rely on an exhaustive series of information-gathering, applications and approvals. Any group which has an infrastructure that affects the physical geography, such as building, development, construction and engineering will save time and money by using the cadastre via the BEP.

It will help to speed up the approval process which, in turn, will free up valuable assets to commence and complete projects faster. In addition, the reporting functions of a wide range of industries will become easier. Meeting stipulation and compliance criteria electronically will be less demanding on personnel, resources and time.

Local Government and regional services' planning will benefit as information becomes available in a more universal format. For example, civil engineering departments will be able to identify high frequency road accident areas in order to make changes to the physical layout and structure as part of a preventative maintenance program.

Being able to identify anomalies will improve the preparation and response abilities of emergency and environmental management groups. They will know in advance what to expect when they are confronted with a new situation and will be able to trace incidents back to the source. In the longer term, it will assist in running rebuilding programs more efficiently.

Businesses will have easier access to information on what facilities and infrastructure are available in any given area. Instead of the 'layered' system which existed in the past, where specific information could only be gathered directly from the exact source, BEP will allow a search to begin from a single access point.

In the broader sense of economic development, companies will be able to map out their growth path and the amount of business infrastructure which exists in a Local Government area. Making the cadastral information more freely available will also be a marketing component for Councils promoting the suitability of their regions.

The BEP is continually expanding the number of online business registrations and transactions it can offer. Apart from being able to fulfil a range of obligations through one Internet contact, there is the convenience of being able to do it 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

BEP Management Branch is developing best practice guidelines for privacy and security which will lead to a range of online payment services. And there will be a facility for receiving grants and other payments without having to leave the office.

Further advice on how the BEP system can work for your Local Government body or business community, and how it will shape future economic development, is available from Paul Griffin, from the BEP Management Branch by email at paul.griffin@dewrsb.gov.au or by phone on (02) 6121 7178.

Click here to visit the Business Entry Point web site

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