Hunt on for federal CIO

Special Minister of State Eric Abetz said today "the CIO will be responsible for the leadership and coordination of projections relating to information and communications technology and the Internet which affect the whole of government or multiple agencies".

The appointee is slated to head up AGIMO and take the position of general manager in the Department of Finance and Administration (DoFA). Closing date for applications is 29 April with an announcement expected about two months afterwards, sources said.

DoFA has engaged an executive recruitment agency to help in the search.

The position of acting CIO has been held by John Grant -- a former acting chief executive officer of AGIMO predecessor, the National Office of the Information Economy -- since March 2004. The appointment of a new Minister, Helen Coonan to the portfolio of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts, uncertainty over the fate of AGIMO under a Labor administration and the post-election shift of AGIMO from Coonan's department to Finance combined to extend the time taken to make the appointment.