The New South Wales Government has revealed plans to spend more than $1 billion on a number of major IT and digital projects in its 2017-18 Budget, handed down on 20 June.
The state’s latest annual Budget highlights some big spending on no fewer than nine large, multimillion-dollar IT projects, most of which are likely to see local partners called in to help out with.
According to Budget papers, the spending comes as the NSW Government’s Digital Strategy aims to make government more open, connected, customer focused and outcomes driven.
“Digital government requires investment in the right technology to deliver simple, accessible and adaptive services,” the Budget papers state. “The ICT Assurance Framework ensures the application of an independent risk-based assurance process for NSW’s capital and recurrent ICT projects.
“For the first time, the 2018 State Infrastructure Strategy will consider future digital trends and connectivity infrastructure requirements that NSW will need over the next 20 years,” it said.
Here are some of the IT projects aimed at contributing to delivering the State’s strategic priorities and Digital Strategy:
Health whole of system digital platform - $286.3 million
This funding is intended to enhance the digital infrastructure that supports clinical and other health-related systems across the state.
According to the Budget papers, the project will complete the fast, secure statewide network at the remaining sites which clinicians use to access data.
Performance and reliability of IT systems will be improved with the upgrading and consolidation of existing hardware into the Government Data Centres.
Health integrated digital patient records - $236.2 million
Aimed at improving the digital storage and communication of medical information in NSW, this project includes the rollout of the electronic medication management system to more public hospitals in the state.
The investment also includes linking NSW Ambulance and hospital electronic medical records in real time to support faster and safer transfer of care from NSW Ambulance to hospital emergency departments.
Finance critical communications enhancement program - $163.2 million
Funded over two years from 2017-18 to 2018-19, this investment is expected to enhance communications services required by frontline agency staff in the delivery of emergency, law enforcement, and essential community services to NSW residents.
The NSW Telco Authority is managing the rollout of the network, which is commencing in the North Coast of NSW.
Sydney Water customer experience platform - $156 million
This funding is for a replacement billing and customer relationship management system that is aimed at providing a more customer-centric approach across a common platform, It is expected to help the business operate more efficiently and respond more quickly to market and regulatory changes.
Sydney Water business experience platform - $85.7 million
This injection of cash is for the implementation of a modern unified enterprise resource planning (ERP) platform to support business agility, greater efficiency and responsiveness to change.
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