State government departments fail to trim IT project fat

Several state government departments have failed to pause expensive IT projects despite a mammoth savings vow.

THE State Government has found almost $100 million of fat across its IT budgets after vowing to implement multi-billion dollar savings measures amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

While some departments did not pause any IT projects, others paused several, with a total value of more than $92 million.

LNP Deputy Leader and treasury spokesman David Janetzki took aim at the figure, claiming it was a broken savings measure promise.

“Only Labor could announce a six month saving measure which has failed to deliver any significant savings,” he said.

“We know the government and IT do not mix.

“Last year’s scathing Auditor-General report into the Queensland Government’s management of IT projects has been completely ignored.”

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LNP Deputy Leader and treasury spokesman David Janetzki. (Image/Josh Woning)

In July last year, the Government announced it would implement $3 billion worth of savings measures amid the pandemic.

This included a six-month hold on non-essential new ICT projects, a reduction in the use of external consultancies and contractors, limiting the secondment of frontline staff to non-frontline roles and a natural reduction of senior bureaucrat roles.

“While other states invest in record infrastructure programs, Queensland taxpayers continuously foot the bill for Labor’s IT project mismanagement,” Mr Janetzki said.

But a Government spokesman said Queenslanders endorsed the Palaszczuk Government’s plans at the recent state election.

Any IT project restarts will be determined on a case-by-case basis.

IT project restarts will be determined on a case-by-case basis.

Of the projects which were paused, 43 totalling $61.45 million were paused across the Queensland Police Service, Queensland Corrective Services, Queensland Fire and Emergency Services and the Public Safety Business Agency.

The Department of Communities and Housing, Digital Economy and the Arts paused 15 projects totalling $18 million.

Seven were paused in Treasury, worth $479,000.

Some of the departments which didn’t pause any included Resources, Tourism, Innovation and Sport and Regional Development, Manufacturing and Water.