Abstract

The Challenges, Opportunities and Outcomes

The Australian Hydrographer operates in a fluid (no pun intended) and challenging client environment. They are often challenged in their role of collecting fit for purpose, high quality data to meet the needs of a various clients by budgetary constraints. This can be influenced by changes in the public and private sectors that form part of the operational landscape for today’s private and/or public businesses.

Transition of business between the public and private sectors come with challenges that may result in the need for a subtle, but important cultural shift for hydrographers from an overarching focus on technical excellence to the dominance of a commercial focus in all things hydrographic.

I hope to share the lessons learnt in this process with hydrographers to illustrate that innovative approaches to the delivery of hydrographic services,= can be achieved, regardless of which business sector they operate within.

This paper presents a client-based assessment of the water monitoring service delivery model adopted in Victoria under the Regional Water Monitoring Partnership program, explains how the needs of multiple clients are met, outlines the impacts on hydrographic services and identifies those areas of opportunity and challenge arising from it. It also outlines the challenges in educating partner organisations about hydrographic practises and the opportunity this offers to ensure the sustainability of the industry.