A previously confidential Treasury memo released under Freedom of Information has cast further doubt on the accuracy of Rann Government claims about its ‘Future ICT’ (Information and Communications Technology) process.
Liberal Member of the Legislative Council Rob Lucas said today that Rann Government claims of $30 million annual savings from its ‘Future ICT’ process have been strongly disputed by a number of Departments, industry observers and the Liberal Party.
This Treasury memo, signed by Under Treasurer Jim Wright on 9 August 2007, reveals further details of the claimed ‘savings’:
• Confirms that claims of $30 million savings were based on old 2003-04 figures collected by Ernst and Young;
• Any increased Departmental costs for associated software and threat management and protection had not been included in ‘savings’ calculations;
• In particular, Departments experiencing increased costs due to new Microsoft licensing arrangements would get no further funding increase;
• Departments that have to maintain EDS servers that are not transitioning to the new contracts will have to meet the ‘extra’ costs of keeping these servers.
“However, whilst some details have now been released, key aspects of the Treasury memo including the schedule have been blacked out and prevented from release,” Mr Lucas said.
“It is clear from this memo that the only way Treasury has been able to support Rann Government claims of $30 million savings is by using old figures and ignoring significant increased departmental costs arising out of the new ICT contracts.
“It is now time for Mr Rann and Mr Foley to come clean and allow the release of all details about the new ICT contracts and associated costs so their claim can be independently checked.”