ANZLIC Council

Arial photograph of ships docked

ANZLIC is the peak government body in Australia and New Zealand responsible for spatial information.

The role of ANZLIC is to develop policies and strategies to promote accessibility and usability of spatial information. ANZLIC is an advocate for the resolution of national level issues and provides a link between government and industry, academia and the general public.

ANZLIC’s vision is that

Spatially referenced information that is current, complete, accurate, affordable and accessible is used to inform decision making for economic, social and environmental outcomes.

History of ANZLIC

ANZLIC was originally established in January 1986 as the Australian Land Information Council (ALIC) by agreement between the Australian Prime Minister and the heads of the State and Territory governments in response to a clear and growing need to:

  • Coordinate the collection and transfer of land-related information between the different levels of government; and
  • Promote the use of that information in decision making.

There had been minimal coordination on a national scale and so ANZLIC arose from the need to focus national coordination of land information management. A national conference entitled “Better Land Related-Information for Policy Decisions”, held in 1984 and attended by representatives from the three spheres of government in Australia, recommended that a peak national coordinating council be formed. This council would comprise the respective chairpersons of the various land information councils in each of the jurisdictions and would be given the role of promoting and developing a national strategy to facilitate the exchange of land information.

The Commonwealth Government, all Australian States (except Queensland) and the Northern Territory were represented on the council. Queensland and the Australian Capital Territory were represented for the first time as observers in 1989 and were subsequently accepted as full members. New Zealand was represented on ALIC and the Advisory Committee from 1987, with the same participating rights as the Australian members. In November 1991, New Zealand formally became a full member and the Council was renamed ANZLIC.