Vic govt renews call for feedback on ICT Strategy
Victorian Minister for Technology and Assistant Treasurer Gordon Rich-Phillips has invited community consultation on the next phase of the state government's ICT Strategy (PDF).
Announced on Monday, the call for feedback will focus on the strategy's agenda for 2014-15, which centres on improved risk management; increased reliance on mobility and cloud; speedier application development; and more effective cybersecurity responsiveness.
"The strategy is driving the delivery of better services, reducing duplication, encouraging innovation, and improving ICT procurement and project management across government — and as we move towards the second stage, we need to ensure that the Victorian government takes advantage of the opportunities arising from the ever-evolving ICT industry," Rich-Phillips said on Monday.
The Victorian government similarly called for consultation and applied feedback from the Victorian ICT Advisory Committee and the public on its draft ICT Strategy (PDF) before releasing the final version in February last year.
In May 2013, the Victorian government set aside AU$19 million in the Budget for implementing its ICT Strategy. The state claims that the ICT Strategy saved it over AU$15 million in IT contracts in 2013.
While the government-owned Centre for IT Excellence (CenITex) previously provided the government's IT services, the strategy last year saw it move into a broker role, with the state inviting Expressions of Interest (EoI) in September from companies wanting to provide IT services to the various agencies and departments. EoI registration closed on October 10, with the contracts to commence in May this year.
Rich-Phillips announced the appointment of the Victorian Chief Technology Advocate and former South Australia government CIO Grantly Mailes as the new chair of CenITex in October last year. The role was created by the Victorian government in March last year.
"Mailes will initially focus on delivering better services, reducing waste, encouraging innovation, and improving ICT procurement across government," Rich-Phillips said at the time.
In October 2012, the Victorian Ombudsman found that CenITex was riddled with favouritism, nepotism, corruption, and bad leadership from top-level management, among other issues.
Responses to the call for consultation on the state government's 2014-15 ICT Strategy are due by February 10.