NSW budget lets loose $694m in ICT cash

The NSW budget has been even more lucrative to ICT than at first glance, according to a new analysis, which estimates the total tech expenditure for this year at almost AU$1.5 billion.

The analysis, by consultancy Intermedium, reveals that capital expenditure for government agencies alone amounts to AU$585 million, while the non-general government sector's capital ICT expenditure comes to AU$109 million, this includes government-owned utilities such as Sydney Ferries.

NSW's IT spending top these figures — budget documents only give insight into some of the projects that are happening. "The government decides what it will mention in the budget papers," Judy Hurditch, Intermedium director, told ZDNet.com.au. "We don't know the top line."

Examples of capital expenditure winners include the Education and Training department which has hauled in an AU$227 million IT capital budget this year, said Hurditch, and Sydney Water, which has got the go ahead for AU$56 million in IT projects.

While working out operational expenditure can be difficult, Intermedium's educated estimate of the government's ICT opex is AU$800 million.

Looking at the operational expenditure agency by agency, there are winners and losers according to Hurditch. "They've come up with a budget where revenues are fractionally higher than expenses. When agencies have gained, others lose out to compensate. It's not a growth budget."