The IT arm of Victoria Police appears to have blown its budget by millions, according to reports detailing a review completed by an external consultant.
The IT arm of Victoria Police appears to have blown its budget by millions, according to reports detailing a review completed by an external consultant.
Some of the conclusions reached do not appear to be
consistent with internal budget projections and costings
Victoria Police spokesperson
The consultant, SAHA, believed that the police's Business
Information Technology Service (BITS) was missing $89 million
needed for a major contract due to cost overruns, according to documents received by
The Australian.
SAHA had found discrepancies between recorded costs and the
totals for invoices received from suppliers, The Australian
reported, with BITS staff ignoring government and departmental
purchasing guides.
The organisation acknowledged the report's existence, telling
ZDNet.com.au that it included "broad assumptions" in
reaching its conclusion that Victoria Police would be overspent on
its IT budget.
"We are now in the process of reviewing the findings in the
report as some of the conclusions reached do not appear to be
consistent with internal budget projections and costings," a Victoria Police spokesperson said.
The news comes after Victorian Police CIO Valda Berzins left
last October amid news her department was undergoing an investigation.
A spokesperson for the police said that the position had not
been filled and it was not intended that it would be in the
"immediate future". Instead, a board of management had been put
in place.
"An internal audit has been completed which has identified a
range of matters around process. The BITS board of management is
working to rectify these issues," the spokesperson said.