State at risk of tech fail

Lack of ICT strategy slammed

CRITICAL state government information technology systems are ageing, at risk of failure and there are no plans for their replacement, an audit has found.

Auditor- General Rod Whitehead’s report into information and communications technology says the government lacks a strategy for the development of IT services.

His report, tabled in state parliament on Tuesday, looked at nine government agencies including emergency services and the departments of Education, Justice, Treasury and State Growth.

“It is my conclusion government ICT strategy, critical systems and investment are not managed in an effective, coordinated and strategic manner, in terms of efficiency and effectiveness,” he said.

“This is because, despite the implementation of a digital governance and decisionmaking framework, there is insufficient guidance to support whole of government ICT planning and prioritisation.”

Mr Whitehead found agencies were working largely on their own, taking different approaches and leading to variable outcomes — as opportunities for greater efficiencies such as cost- savings from a whole of government approach were being lost. Worse, there was a risk that critical ICT infrastructure could fail.

“Significantly aged and unsupported ( by the vendor) ICT assets, or those at risk of failure, remain in operation with no real plan for replacement,” he said.

Mr Whitehead recommended that the government develop a whole of government approach to ICT, with short, medium and long- term strategies, with plans to replace key assets and those at risk of failure.

The report noted that plans for digital service delivery across the government sector were “in the early stages of development”.

Science and Technology Minister Michael Ferguson denied the government didn’t have a plan and blamed Labor and the Greens, despite the Liberals having been in power since 2014.

“We have a plan for digital industry and service transformation. It’s called Our Digital Future and it was released earlier this year,” he said.

Earlier this month, TasICT president Martin Anderson said the government rated the last in the nation for spending, with less than $ 95m spent on managing ICT operations during 2018- 19, from an overall expenditure of $ 6.3bn