Ian Harper
Principle Consultant – Cadastral Systems
Ian Harper has extensive knowledge and experience in survey and cadastral database creation and management. He specialises in introducing digital processes and automation to land titling systems and connecting survey and mapping title documents to modern database systems.
From 2005 he has been a Director of Geodata Australia and a Survey and Cadastral Database Consultant. This work involves the development and implementation of the Survey Accurate Cadastral Modelling (SACM) for cadastral database creation and management in Australia for government and infrastructure projects.
Ian has undertaken international projects in India and Indonesia as an independent surveying/database advisor, reviewing issues in data integrity, business processes and providing achievable strategies for efficient cadastral digitisation, electronic survey plans and 3D cadastres. He has also undertaken site visits and process reviews for geographic information systems (GIS) cadastral management in Vietnam, Malaysia (Sabah) and Indonesia. His international engagements have been based on a pragmatic approach to Fit-For-Purpose Land Administration with consideration of future spatial upgrades for accuracy and automation.
Ian is active in the FIG Commission 7 – Cadastre and Land Management as a member of the Fit-For-Purpose (FFP) Working Group. His experience provides a strong background in all aspects of digitisation of the spatial foundation to Land Administration.
Prior to his engagement at Geodata, Ian was the founding Director of a Survey, Planning and Environmental Consultancy with 35 staff, based in Newcastle, Australia for 18 years. In this role, he undertook all aspects of the practice management and operations, land asset management and computer aided drafting database operation and project management of large-scale urban renewal and ‘green field’ land development projects.
Ian was a NSW registered surveyor from 1984 to 2004. Throughout his career, he has amassed significant knowledge and experience in cadastral surveying technology, both in the field and office processing including three dimensional surveys. He also fully understands the legal issues relating to land titling and cadastral processes and the role of government, along with progressing digital workflows in survey and cadastral database management and the integration of automated transactions in Land Title Systems.
With his years of experience, Ian is passionate about promoting the future of surveyors as custodians of the cadastre by making them relevant to the spatial databases that will define the digital future. He endeavours to provide solutions that are practical and considers the commercial realities in a world where modern technology can facilitate complex solutions that lead to an unfriendly digital environment.
