Auditor General’s Report into GovNext

The GovNext-ICT rollout has come under scrutiny from the Auditor General, with claims of overstated savings and a “culture of resistance” from agencies.

The program was originally brought in by the Barnett Government to consolidate government ICT and claimed savings of over $80million, but the Auditor General’s latest report clearly outlines that will not be achieved.

Consultation with workers and the Union:

The report stated that “Assumptions used to develop the business case did not fairly reflect agency ICT services or pricing, and presented a best case picture of potential savings”. 

Proper consultation with public sector workers who manage ICT costing within their agency, could have provided clearer information during the development process of GovNext, saving time and money.

There has also been a severe lack of consultation around data security and service disruptions to public services.

The take-up from agencies has been less than expected with the audit stating, “Several barriers to adoption remain unresolved, including advice and assurances around security and service continuity.”

The critical services public sector workers provide to the community are always the priority.

Public sector workers want to produce the best outcomes for the community and projects like GovNext provide the perfect opportunity for thorough and informative consultation.

The agencies where the GovNext program has been rolled-out have achieved savings of up to 22%, proving when we build the capacity for public sector workers to manage the process, they produce the best outcomes for the state.