[LINK] Gillard raids 'Gershon' IT fund

[Bernard Robertson-Dunn]

Gillard raids 'Gershon' IT fund
Fran Foo
From: Australian IT
August 04, 2010 6:25PM
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/australian-it/government/gillard-raids-gershon-it-fund/story-fn4htb9o-1225901276850

JuliaA Gillard will raid $448 million to help pay for election 
commitments from a savings scheme earmarked for IT projects.

Labor said it would save more than $1 billion over four years from a 
bold plan to drive efficiencies in public sector ICT procurement and 
operational reform.

British efficiency expert Peter Gershon was engaged in 2008 to spearhead 
the program. Following his recommendation, more than half of the money 
saved was funnelled into an IT business-as-usual reinvestment fund.

The Prime Minister will divert $447.5m of the money being set aside over 
the four years to help meet Labor's commitment to returning the budget 
to surplus.

The balance of the fund, around $557m, will be used as expected; Labor 
will not renege on its budget pledge giving 20 agencies funding for 44 
technology projects.

In 2009 -10, $54.6m from the Gershon reinvestment fund was spent on 12 
projects.

If Labor wins on August 21, departments will have to bid for funds -- as 
part of next year's budget process -- for proposed IT projects.

"The Gillard Labor government will remove funding currently quarantined 
under the Gershon reforms for ICT spending across government (of) 
$447.5m over four years," an ALP campaign spokeswoman said.

"Labor sees ICT as vital in promoting the sharing of common service 
delivery platforms and business processes. Our reforms have increased 
efficiency in procurement and delivered more than $1bn in savings.

"Departments will now have to bid in the budget process for additional 
resources to fund ICT spending to ensure it is properly scrutinised 
against other government priorities."

The Secretaries Committee on ICT to promote whole-of-government 
initiatives will be retained.

Ovum public sector IT research director Kevin Noonan said the news was 
disappointing for agencies.

"It was a known pool of funding that encouraged agencies to develop 
better business cases for initiatives that had a strategic or 
whole-of-government payback," Mr Noonan said.

"The problem now is that agencies will have to find offsetting savings 
as well as coming up with a good business case."

-- 

Regards
brd

Bernard Robertson-Dunn
Canberra Australia
email:	 brd at iimetro.com.au
website: www.drbrd.com