• Free Daily Newsletter
  • Get Premium
  • Small Logo
  • About
  • Partner Pages
  • Support & FAQs
  • Log in

The Mandarin

The Mandarin
The Mandarin
  • Small Logo
  • Premium
  • Careers
    • Search SES Jobs
    • Career Advice
  • News
  • Editors' Picks
  • Portfolios
  • Events
  • Resource library
  • Small Logo
  • Premium
  • Careers
    • Search SES Jobs
    • Career Advice
  • News
  • Editors' Picks
  • Portfolios
  • Events
  • Resource library

Home Sponsored Federal budget hits the reset button on government IT

Federal budget hits the reset button on government IT

By Omdia

Friday October 9, 2020

Adobe

Despite the rhetoric of digital government, past budgets have tended to deal with internal ICT initiatives quite separately from the broader digital economy. The 2020-21 budget has taken a different approach. More than $7bn in digital initiatives has been woven into the budget’s underlying fabric, creating a more cohesive approach that focuses on outcomes rather than administrative convenience.

When COVID-19 arrived in Australia in early 2020, the country was already reeling from a series of natural disasters – droughts, fires, and floods. These had weakened the economy, but COVID-19 hit it like a bomb. It sent Australia spiraling into recession for the first time in 29 years. In the Treasurer’s words, 2020 has had everything thrown at the economy “including the kitchen sink”. Desperate to reignite the economy, the federal government has planted its foot firmly on the accelerator.

A 21st century economy needs budget measures relevant to contemporary needs. Post-COVID, the Australian economy is more dependent on digital services than ever before.

The budget has made a significant investment in key cross-portfolio initiatives.

  • JobMaker is a large package that invests heavily in internal ICT, the digital economy, education, and regulatory reform to drive government outcomes in a more coordinated way. It involves the efforts of 16 agencies.
  • The government’s cyber security strategy also takes a broad approach across portfolios to keep families and businesses secure in the online world. The coordinated work of five agencies draws together a variety of initiatives into a $201.5 million budget measure.

Large agency ICT projects also feature in the budget. Together, these provide key investment in service delivery infrastructure, and address the challenges of technical debt in ageing government infrastructure:

  • $539.6 million has been allocated for the 4th tranche of the welfare payment infrastructure transformation, for the long running upgrade project in Services Australia.
  • $222.2 million has been allocated for the first phase of system modernization at Dept Agriculture, Water and Environment.
  • The Government will provide $96.7 million over three years to commence the modernisation of the Australian Electoral Commission’s (AEC) ICT systems and infrastructure.

Smaller budget initiatives are sometimes overlooked in budget commentary, but cost is not an indicator of importance. It underlines the importance of taking a more forensic look at ICT in the federal budget. Public Safety Mobile Broadband (PSMB) is a good example. The Government will provide $8.0 million for a proof of concept trial. This is a key technology that could have a profound impact on Australia’s ability to prepare for and respond to natural disasters and emergencies.

The funding pendulum has swung a long way from treating technology as just an internal cost. The good news is that there is much more funding in the budget than ever before and an improved strategic focus, looking at government outcomes. However, there will be big expectations, and many critical eyes watching. Be careful what you wish for, the stakes could not be higher.

To learn more about ICT government spending initiatives in the Budget, download this special report from Omdia and The Mandarin Guide to the Budget Spending Boom.

About the author

By Omdia

Omdia is the new global technology research powerhouse. It combines the expertise of more than 400 analysts covering 150 markets and thousands of technology, media, and telecommunications companies, publishing over 3,000 research reports a year, reaching over 14,000 subscribers.

Companies: Omdia

Partners: Omdia

Tags: 2020 federal budget digital infrastructure federal budget ICT initiatives

Login
Please login to comment
0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
The Mandarin Premium

Insights for policy professionals.

Subscribe for only $5 a week.

Get Premium Today

Already a subscriber? Login

By Omdia

Friday October 9, 2020
Text size: A A A

Upcoming Events

11
Feb
Reverse and Reciprocal Mentoring Webinar
15
Feb
Applying Behavioural Science to Create Change
16
Feb
Innovation Reset 2020: Trust | Empathy | Competence – How the new public work is the new work of government, the public service and many others too.
17
Feb
Proud Partnerships in Place: 2021 First Peoples Public Administration Virtual Conference
18
Mar
Building Visibility and Influence: A critical masterclass for women in the public sector
View Calendar

Partner Content

What Australia’s 2020 Cyber Security Strategy means for cyber security professionals
Promoted

What Australia’s 2020 Cyber Security Strategy means for cyber security professionals

Whitepaper: Leveraging government data in a multi-cloud world

Whitepaper: Leveraging government data in a multi-cloud world

Whitepaper: Drivers Impelling Public Sector to Digitise

Whitepaper: Drivers Impelling Public Sector to Digitise

Latest Jobs


  • Management Consultant

    Kiah Consulting

    • ACT
    Closing date 28th January, 2021
    just now Full Time - Ongoing
  • Chief Information Officer, Transport Canberra and City Services

    Transport Canberra and City Service

    • ACT
    Closing date 27th January, 2021
    5 days ago Full Time - Fixed Term
  • Director Community Construction and Development

    The Department of Communities

    • WA
    Closing date 25th January, 2021
    5 days ago Full Time - Fixed Term
  • Chief Executive Officer

    IPAA Vic

    • VIC
    Closing date 22nd January, 2021
    28 days ago Full Time - Fixed Term
  • Executive Branch Manager, Professional Standards Unit

    • ACT
    Closing date 22nd January, 2021
    1 month ago Full Time - Fixed Term
  • CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

    Australian Institute of Health and Welfare

    • ACT
    Closing date 27th January, 2021
    1 month ago
Search All Jobs

Login

New to The Mandarin? Create an account

Forgot password?

Share via email

Access your 3 free Mandarin Premium articles

As part of your free trial you will receive 'The Juice', The Mandarin's daily free newsletter, the 'Premium wrap' every Saturday and marketing emails. You can opt out at any time.
Content
  • Small Logo
  • News
  • Research Series
  • Features
  • Portfolios
  • Jurisdictions
  • New Zealand
  • People & Capability
  • Thought Leadership
  • Editors' Picks
  • Resource Library
  • Site Map
Products & Services
  • Small Logo
  • The Juice Newsletter
  • Partner & Advertising solutions
  • Mandarin Live
  • Public Sector Events Calendar
  • Partner Content
  • Premium
  • Careers
Legal
  • Small Logo
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Usage
  • Code of Conduct
Connect
  • Small Logo
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Support
  • Our Team
Social
Copyright © The Mandarin
Private Media logo CRIKEY SMARTCOMPANY STARTUPSMART
wpDiscuz