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Land Information Minister Maurice Williamson today announced New Zealand’s most current publicly owned aerial imagery, covering 95 per cent of the country, is now available online.

Land Information New Zealand has been working with other agencies to make imagery available under an open licence, and to ensure it is accessible through the LINZ Data Service.

“Releasing publicly held aerial imagery for reuse has the potential to create cost savings for the public sector and generate economic benefits for the private sector.

Efforts to coordinate central and local government procurement of aerial imagery will ensure better value for money and open access to the data, Land Information Minister Maurice Williamson says.

Aerial imagery is captured from airborne sensors and cameras, and its uses include land management and disaster recovery planning.

“Land Information New Zealand is working with local authorities and government agencies to establish a national programme for coordinating public sector imagery purchases.

Land Information Minister Maurice Williamson today hailed the Marine Mate smartphone application as a great example of central and local government collaborating to make public data more accessible.

Marine Mate provides a wide range of vital boating information, including tide times, boat ramp locations and boating bylaws, that matches its user’s location.

“Developed by Waikato Regional Council with data from Land Information New Zealand and other agencies, it has now achieved more than 14,000 downloads since its launch late last year.

Land Information Minister Maurice Williamson says 3D models of buildings past, present and planned are being made available from today to help people visualise how the Christchurch central city will look.

As part of the Canterbury spatial data infrastructure programme, led by Land Information New Zealand, a set of 3D models of buildings pre-earthquake have been released under an open license, making them available to anyone.

“The ability to better visualise changes will play a key role in engagement, consultation, enhanced planning decisions and efficiency.

Land Information Minister Maurice Williamson and Pacific Island Affairs Minister Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga have welcomed the completion of electronic navigational charts for the south-west Pacific.

The development of these charts by Land Information New Zealand for Niue Tonga, Samoa, Cook Islands and Tokelau is part of an initiative funded by the New Zealand Aid Programme to improve maritime safety in the region.

Land Information Minister Maurice Williamson says claims made by New Zealand First leader Winston Peters today that Huka Lodge, in Taupo, has been sold to Chinese interests are not true.

“The Overseas Investment Office has spoken to Huka Lodge director and shareholder David McGregor, and he has confirmed no sale has been made or is being considered.

Huka Lodge was last sold in 2003, following Overseas Investment Commission approval, when a Labour Government was in power
 

The next phase of work to update and enhance the New Zealand Vertical Datum 2009 is set to begin tomorrow, Land Information Minister Maurice Williamson says.

The NZVD2009 provides a consistent reference point for measuring heights in New Zealand, its offshore islands and the continental shelf. A project to collect aerial gravity data to improve accuracy began last year.

Flights to collect South Island aerial gravity data are due to begin from Timaru tomorrow.

Land Information Minister Maurice Williamson today welcomed the release of Cadastre 2034 strategy by the Surveyor-General.

The cadastre is the official record of land boundaries.  It includes official survey plans, information about boundary marks, survey measurements, and other supporting information provided by surveyors.  

The Crown Land Centre of Expertise has now signed a memorandum of understanding with seven public sector agencies, Land Information Minister Maurice Williamson says.

The centre was established within Land Information New Zealand as part of the Government’s drive for agencies to assume leadership roles in areas in which they have expertise.

It uses LINZ’s expertise and innovation to support and advise a growing number of Crown agencies on the management and, where required, the disposal of surplus Crown land.

Land Information Minister Maurice Williamson today announced Headlong Peak, in Mount Aspiring National Park, is to be renamed Mount Tewha.

The decision confirms a recommendation made by the New Zealand Geographic Board. The move will see the name Headlong Peak assigned to its true location, an unnamed feature just north-west of the soon-to-be renamed Mount Tewha.

Land Information Minister Maurice Williamson today announced his decision to assign Lake Te Kōhua, Mount Tūwhakarōria and Tapuae-o-Uenuku / Hector Mountains as official names for three alpine features in Central Otago.

The decision confirms recommendations made by the New Zealand Geographic Board.

“Today’s announcement is the culmination of a process that began in 2011, when I rejected the place name proposal Te Kōhua Peak.

Land Information Minister Maurice Williamson today announced mariners can now access free online navigational charts in a new, and more widely accessible, format as the government continues to make more publicly held information available for reuse.

Land Information New Zealand today made its Raster Navigational Charts available in an unencrypted format that’s more widely supported by software manufacturers.

New Zealand has been ranked 4th in the 2013 Global Open Data Barometer, released in London by the World Wide Web Foundation and Open Data Institute.

“This is a real coup for New Zealand.  The Barometer is the first survey of global trends which ranks 77 countries on how they release their public data and the benefits those initiatives have for citizens and the economy,” says Mr English. 

Land Information Minister Maurice Williamson says great progress is being made to improve the health of Lake Wanaka through efforts to rid it of a noxious weed.

Lagarosiphon, also known as South African oxygen weed, chokes waterways, smothers native aquatic plant communities and it establishes quickly if left untreated.

Weed control at Lake Wanaka is carried out by a lagarosiphon management committee, led by Land Information New Zealand.

Land Information Minister Maurice Williamson today announced a project to gather national gravity data and to improve the accuracy of the New Zealand Vertical Datum 2009 has entered a new phase, with initial aerial surveying more than half complete.

Used to reference heights in New Zealand, its offshore islands and the continental shelf, the NZVD2009 was established using historical gravity data that wasn’t collected with the intent of using it for height system definition.

Land Information Minister Maurice Williamson says a new methodology to help decision makers prioritise areas for hydrographic survey will make inroads toward improving maritime safety in the South-West Pacific.

Land Information New Zealand has developed a hydrography risk assessment methodology that will highlight areas of comparative risk.

It was applied in a Vanuatu pilot in 2012. It highlighted areas of concern where expertise and assistance is needed to ensure compliance with international conventions, and to build in-country capability and capacity.

Land Information Minister Maurice Williamson today announced the recorded English names of the two main islands of New Zealand, the North Island and South Island, will be formalised.

The decision follows a recommendation from the New Zealand Geographic Board, which undertook extensive consultation this year.

“While these names appear in official publications, including maps and charts, they had been recorded names only and had no formal standing.

The Government has approved changes to the way the Rating Valuations Act 1998 applies to Christchurch City Council, enabling it to start a long awaited general revaluation later this year.

Land Information Minister Maurice Williamson says the council will be able to apply a modified method to conduct the revaluation.

“Values will be assessed from sales data, including where EQC and private insurance entitlements were assigned, and will not recognise the effects of physical earthquake damage on individual properties.

Associate Education Minister Nikki Kaye says a change to the way education property is disposed of will free up money to reinvest in new school property faster.

Land Information Minister Maurice Williamson says an innovative approach to maintaining the geodetic datum has enabled the repair of vital infrastructure as part of the Canterbury rebuild.

Geodetic datum defines the size and shape of the part of the Earth that includes New Zealand, and also defines NZ’s position relative to the rest of the world. The geodetic datum was distorted by the Canterbury earthquakes.

Land Information Minister Maurice Williamson today announced the Public Works Act 1981 will be amended to make land acquisition and compensation fairer and more efficient.

Among changes is an increase to the solatium payment, which compensates landowners for the disruption and inconvenience when their home is acquired for a public work, and vacant possession of the property is given.

The Canterbury Spatial Data Infrastructure programme is delivering new ways to assist the Canterbury earthquake recovery, Land Information Minister Maurice Williamson says.

A new planning tool has been developed as a part of the Forward Works Spatial Coordination project. It will allow recovery agencies’ forward works, and utilities, to be viewed in an integrated way, with timeframes, locations, and other relevant attributes.

Land Information Minister Maurice Williamson says the battle to preserve New Zealand’s natural heritage has taken a step forward, with 150 hectares of wilding trees cleared at the iconic Lake Pukaki.

Land Information New Zealand has completed an intensive 18 month eradication programme in an area between the western shoreline of the lake and State Highway 80.  It will enable the shoreline to return to its natural state.

Land Information Minister Maurice Williamson today announced that Land Information New Zealand will contribute $2.1 million this year to the Ocean Survey 20/20 initiative.

The cross agency initiative coordinated by LINZ was launched in 2006 to promote research in the New Zealand marine environment. 

“The LINZ contribution will pay for 40 sailing days on the RV Tangaroa, which is a vessel owned by NIWA.