Many councils struggle with a common challenge: disparate and disconnected data. Spreadsheets reign supreme, with valuable information siloed across multiple departments and formats.
This fragmented data landscape requires significant manual processing for insights, hindering efficient decision-making and service delivery. Compounding this challenge is an ageing workforce. As experienced staff retire, there’s a growing need to embrace new talent and perspectives. This is where neurodiversity and Australian Spatial Analytics (ASA) present a tremendous opportunity.
About ASA
ASA is one of Australia’s largest work-integrated social enterprises. Since 2020, they’ve enabled careers for over 220 young neurodivergent adults, including autistic Australians facing a staggering 34 per cent unemployment rate. This disadvantaged demographic faces many barriers to entering the workforce but often has excellent technical data analysis skills and a keen eye for detail: desirable and in-demand skills ideally suited to big data management.
ASA has attracted business from over 40 clients and consistently delivers professional and award-winning data services for real-world critical infrastructure projects nationwide and at all levels of government. ASA also helps solve skills shortages and data sovereignty/modern slavery concerns by empowering young neurodivergent adults to perform essential work that typically occurs overseas. ASA’s CEO, Geoffrey Smith, has been recognised for his work on autistic employment and won the 2025 Queensland Australian of the Year.
Neurodiversity: a catalyst for local government transformation
ASA’s expertise includes transforming disparate data into a unified and accessible format–specifically, spatial data. This data is stored within a GIS (Geographic Information System), creating a ‘single source of truth’. This allows multiple council stakeholders to access digital maps that enable the visualisation, analysis and understanding of data within a geographic context.
Examples of how ASA has helped local governments drive efficiencies include tree canopy data cleansing for Bayside City Council, managing road data for the City of Hobart, and consolidating emergency management data for Brisbane City Council–Australia’s largest local government by population. This project has helped the council prepare for and respond more effectively to emergencies across Brisbane and ensure community safety. ASA has also conducted a comprehensive road and address validation project for the Sunshine Coast Regional Council region, one of Australia’s fastest-growing local government areas.
The benefits of leveraging a centralised and accurate geospatial and engineering data system in the local government context are numerous, including:
- Quicker decisions: With real-time access to reliable data, councils can make informed decisions faster, improving responsiveness to community needs and minimising service outages
- Enhanced maintenance and operations: spatial data empowers councils to optimise asset management, streamline maintenance schedules, and identify potential issues before they escalate
- Improved customer service: accurate data translates to better services for ratepayers. Councils can use spatial data to identify areas requiring attention, personalise service delivery, and effectively communicate with residents
Ultimately, a data-informed approach fosters efficiency across council operations. This translates to cost savings, improved service delivery, and a more positive experience for ratepayers. ASA has also delivered neurodiversity in the workplace training for local governments to enable a neuroinclusive workplace.
Councils can create social impact and be a destination for neurodivergent talent
In today’s data-driven world, ASA offers local governments a powerful tool to unlock efficiency, improve decision-making, and empower their workforces. By embracing spatial data solutions and fostering neuroinclusive workplaces, councils can navigate future challenges and deliver exceptional service to their communities while being an excellent destination for local neurodivergent talent.
By fostering inclusive workplaces that value neurodiversity, councils can tap into a rich talent pool and address the looming skills gap. Find out how you can embrace (neuro)diversity to deliver better services whilst creating social impact at asanalytics.com.au.
