September
True blue dilemma: what makes a business Australian?
As the Albanese government prepares to throw billions of dollars at its signature Made in Australia scheme, there is no agreed definition on what makes an Australian business.
- Tom Burton
August
- Analysis
- Government Observed
The $340m government IT disaster no one cared about
The idea was simple enough: one back-office system to better co-ordinate all government departments. A decade later, the plan has been abandoned at big public expense.
- Tom Burton
$2.2b lost in federal IT fails after fifth project abandoned
An ambitious attempt to build a common back office system has been abandoned, with little opportunity to reuse the $341 million technology.
- Tom Burton
July
- Analysis
- Government Observed
Tech meltdown revealed a fundamental flaw in plain sight
The global CrowdStrike breakdown revealed just how much of the global IT system is built on inherently unsafe code.
- Tom Burton
Big tech domination leaves Canberra, states ‘highly vulnerable’
According to some estimates, Microsoft’s Windows and its 365 suite of office software run on more than 80 per cent of federal and state government computers.
- Tom Burton
- Analysis
- Government Observed
Canberra’s $1b digital identity play could be the next white elephant
The failure of open banking and the poor uptake of My Health Record offer a salutary warning for the government’s digital ID system.
- Tom Burton
Small consulting firms to get a leg-up from new Canberra rules
An overhaul to federal government procurement rules means agencies must now seek quotes from at least one small firm when seeking consultancy services.
- Tom Burton
May
Smart wallet encryption to get $23.4m budget boost
Amid a wave of identity theft, $11 million has also been pledged over four years to upgrade the Credential Protection Register.
- Tom Burton
April
- Analysis
- Government Observed
Why government has an Excel problem
Swaths of the public service still have to use tools and manual procedures from the early 1980s, when desktop computing first arrived in government.
- Tom Burton
March
- Analysis
- Government Observed
Could turning laws into code help fix the housing shortage?
Allowing computers to read and interpret laws based on sophisticated rules could revolutionise regulation and the way you interact with government.
- Tom Burton
Australians unconvinced about AI safety: survey
There is a wide disparity in those who trust AI across different Australian regions, according to a new survey on trust in government services.
- Tom Burton
February
AI auditors let the ATO find millions in unpaid tax and super
Natural language AI models have helped the ATO find hundreds of millions of liabilities and pinpoint organisations that may not be paying employees enough super.
- Paul Smith
Why the agriculture secretary needs mediation and a ‘big fat novel’
It’s Adam Fennessy’s second stint as an agriculture secretary. He shares his best leadership tips, how to embrace digital transformation and what he looks for when hiring.
- Tom Burton
Costs of PwC tax leaks scandal rise another $40m
US tech integrator Slalom will lead the 2026 digital census program for the Australian Bureau of Statistics after PwC and spin-off Scyne pulled out of bidding.
- Tom Burton
Beware ‘overzealous’ rules that limit AI’s benefits: PC
The Productivity Commission has warned against legislating to prevent harm from AI, arguing for a wait-and-see approach to the revolutionary technology.
- Tom Burton
January
Special AI laws needed for financial services: Longo
ASIC chairman Joe Longo has laid out a case for special AI rules for financial services, arguing general rules will not be adequate to stop harms.
- Tom Burton and James Eyers
Australia’s best and worst government websites ranked
A push to improve access and make content easier to find has resulted in a major improvement in government website rankings, with one surprising result.
- Tom Burton
- Analysis
- AI
AI plan leaves Australia a digital backwater
Australia has fallen in behind its AUKUS partners, embracing a light-touch, low-key approach to revolutionary AI technology.
- Tom Burton
New freeze button planned to stop bank scams
Bank customers will get a new kill button to immediately close down accounts or transactions and get repaid in 24 hours under a proposed new scheme to stop the explosion in scams.
- Tom Burton
Government suppliers to face sweeping new ethical rules
A new ethical code of conduct for suppliers will require federal tenderers to manage conflicts and vouch for the integrity of their subcontractors.
- Tom Burton