A federated network of data and collaborative research hubs

1. Xavier Goldie | Outreach Manager
AURIN, THE UNINVERSITY OF MELBOURNE
AURIN – Overview

3. WHO ARE WE?
A FEDERATED NETWORK OF DATA AND COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH HUBS

7. Identification
/Relevance
Legal
Obligations
Metadata
Access
Curation andRelease
Monitoring
Maintainence
Archive
Specialist
Research
Requests

9. AURIN
Data Access
PORTAL
API
AURIN Map

10. AURIN
Data Access
PORTAL
API
AURIN Map
Open and more
secure data
Open data –
derived from
National Map
Direct access to open
datasets from apps and
desktop

11. AURIN
PORTAL
Security
Research
(University-
AAF)
EndUser
Government
(VHO)
Utilities (Multiple
Agencies)
Domain Expert (ie
Energy and Water)
Data Providers
A
A
CAUL

19. AURIN empowers research into
the built environment
~8,600 TOTAL USERS
~86% ACADEMIC (.EDU) USERS
~14% GOVERNMENT (.GOV) USERS
ACADEMIC SECTOR:
~72% STUDENTS
~28% STAFF

20. AURIN empowers academic research into the
built environment through
DATA
and
ANALYTICS

21. DATA:
• Portal brings ~2000 datasets together from open and closed
sources into single geographic framework. Most are
nationwide coverage
• Data from over 70 disparate data providers, facilitating
intersectional research
• Data can be imported and exported, in spatial and non-spatial
formats, to allow integration into researcher’s existing
analytical ecosystem

22. ANALYTICS
• Over 100 analytical tools, ranging in complexity from basic
graphing and visualisation, to spatial statistical routines,
implemented in R, but using a GUI for non expert users
• Tailor-made analytical routines e.g. Walkability tools
• Additional decision support tools external to the AURIN Portal
around land use planning e.g. AURIN’s Online What-If?
• Licensed access to PSMA Geocoder

23. The true value of AURIN:
• Single port of call for urban researchers to access
authoritative datasets ready for analysis
• Completely eliminates need for researchers to arrange data
licensing – saves time and money
• Free access enables small scale research projects especially
in non-STEM and non-biological sciences, and especially for
PhD students

24. Next Steps (Data)
• Incorporation of historical and current property sales at
point level
• Incorporation of more datasets into the API and
development of a commercial API
• Developing relationship with Australian Data Archives,
Parliamentary library to incorporate large scale historical
cultural datasets

25. CASE STUDIES

26. NEIGHBOURHOOD SCALE

27. Relationship between Transit Oriented Development and
Residential Property Values

28. Relationship between Transit Oriented Development and
Residential Property Values
• Eileen Sim (Masters Student) and collaborators showed
that proximity to metropolitan train station had positive
impact on residential property values
• Challenged assumptions which fuel opposition to
development, allow for evidence based urban policy
• AURIN datasets available for free through the portal were
fundamental to the work

29. Relationship between Transit Oriented Development and
Residential Property Values
“It would have been close to impossible for me to
conduct the research as a Masters paper. It may have
been possible if the researcher was an experienced
researcher and had extensive contact with APM to gain
access to that data but I was really just an amateur
and purchasing it was not an option.”

30. SUBURB SCALE

31. Differences in residential locational choices of male and
female same-sex couples in Melbourne and Sydney

32. Differences in residential locational choices of male and
female same-sex couples in Melbourne and Sydney
• Researchers showed that male and female same-sex
couples were segregated from each other in closely linked
neighbourhoods
• Regression modeling challenged theories about the role of
the Creative Class in driving LGBT aggregation
• AURIN datasets, and spatial statistical analytical routines in
the AURIN portal, were central to the analysis

33. Differences in residential locational choices of male and
female same-sex couples in Melbourne and Sydney
“The breadth of data available in AURIN, combined
with other sources at the same level of geography
easily allows the kind of multivariate regression
methods central to answering these questions.
Especially a rich property value dataset at such a fine
spatial resolution”

34. MUNICIPAL SCALE

35. Development of City of Darebin Walking Strategy
Developing a Walking Strategy for Darebin
Signed the International
Charter for Walking in 2008
Background and benchmarking
Development of a Principal
Pedestrian Network
Social indicators analysis and
AURIN portal
Walking assessments and
pedestrian Level of Service
(LoS)
Prioritisation

36. Development of City of Darebin Walking Strategy
• Local Government in Victoria (City of Darebin) developed a
strategy to both improve the walkability of their city and
increase the rates of walking amongst residents and visitors
• Integrated approach, incorporating socio-economic and
health data, infrastructure and asset information and
economic analysis
• AURIN datasets and analytical tools were central to shaping
the policy

37. Development of City of Darebin Walking Strategy
“What I like about AURIN is that it’s one spot where I
can access data, analyse it and display my results. It’s a
one-size-fits-all tool.”

38. SUB REGIONAL SCALE

39. Preventing non-urgent hospital ED admissions

40. Preventing non-urgent hospital ED admissions
• Researchers from the University of Melbourne investigated
factors which cause parents to bring young children to EDs
for non-urgent presentations
• Showed that neighbourhood characteristics (walkability,
perceived safety), when intersected with GP or clinic
characteristics, strongly predicted results.
• AURIN was a research partner, providing expertise, data
and analytics to generate and visualise outcomes

41. Preventing non-urgent hospital ED admissions
As a direct outcome of this research, AURIN has been
able to secure access to the National Health Services
Directory service location data (individual points) for
use through the AURIN portal for academic and
government researchers

42. METROPOLITAN SCALE

43. The spatial characteristics of housing affordability
and stress in Sydney

44. The spatial characteristics of housing affordability
and stress in Sydney
• A/Prof Pettit and collaborators from UNSW investigated the
spatial distribution of housing stress in Sydney
• Illustrated that the standard indicators used (incl. those
released today!) have substantial methodological
limitations
• Data and visualisation capabilities of the AURIN portal were
used in conjunction with desktop functions

45. The spatial characteristics of housing affordability
and stress in Sydney
• A/Prof Pettit and collaborators from UNSW investigated the
spatial distribution of housing stress in Sydney
• Illustrated that the standard indicators used (incl. those
released today!) have substantial methodological
limitations
• Data and visualisation capabilities of the AURIN portal were
used in conjunction with desktop functions

46. Next Steps
• Integration of historical census data (ADA)
• Integration of Atlas of Living Australia data
• Continued development of APIs tailored to different groups