Abstract
Land is of fundamental importance to all societies. There is now an even greater recognition that it is a finite resource and needs prudent management. Many examples occur throughout the world of what happens when prudent management is not followed. Land information systems—a particular type of information system which provides information concerning the land—can be an important element in this management strategy.
It is possible to gain some impression of the complexity and sheer size of information systems which may try to provide access to land related data by considering factors which relate from land derived products or land based aesthetics. These factors include direct investment in infrastructure and materials and the direct employment and employment generated as flow on. To this we must add the fact that there are approximately 800 local governments in Australia whose prime function, to a certain extent, depends on having access to accurate land related information and that the existence of some government departments is concerned with using land derived information as a primary commodity.
Land information systems could well be the sleeping giant of information systems which makes our banking systems and airline reservation systems seem relatively simple and straightforward. This paper discusses some of the opportunities and the obstacles in implementing such systems.