Payroll bungle Mr Fix It used to work for Queensland Rail

THE man paraded as the “Mr Fix It” of the latest payroll bungle has been in charge for months with his takeover criticised for contributing towards confusion within the program.

THE trouble shooter paraded as the “Mr Fix It” of Labor’s latest payroll bungle has been in charge for four months with his takeover criticised for contributing towards confusion within the program.

EDITORIAL: Premier must get serious about payroll problem

"Mr Fix It" Dallas Stower, the assistant director-general of the Department of Science, IT and Innovation. Picture: Supplied

IT Minister Leeanne Enoch yesterday insisted an experienced program director “with a proven track record” had been appointed to restructure the troubled payroll project.

The Courier-Mail can reveal the director referred to by Ms Enoch is former Queensland Rail executive Dallas Stower, who is assistant director-general of the Department of Science, IT and Innovation.

The damning report into the payroll bungle criticised the ambiguity and confusion over the project’s management after it was transferred to the IT department under Mr Stower’s stewardship in December.

The Courier-Mail yesterday revealed the report by consultants PricewaterhouseCoopers was scathing of the program to roll out new payroll and employee management systems for firies, paramedics and corrections officers.

With $35 million of a $100 million budget already spent, it warned of timeframe and cost blowouts and stressed the need for intervention.

The mismanaged program has drawn comparisons to the Queensland Health payroll fiasco, given the Government is replacing the same obsolete system.

Corrective Services’ new payroll system was due to “go live” last month but is still in testing phase.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk vowed there would be no repeat of the Health payroll disaster.