The Secretaries’ ICT Governance Board (SIGB) has indicated that the Government will develop a refreshed ICT or E-Government Strategy in early 2014, in accordance with the Coalition’s pre-election Policy for E-Government and the Digital Economy and election commitments. SIGB also noted the Coalition’s “proposed approach for the establishment of the ICT Advisory Board, as referenced in the Policy, and the addition of private sector expertise in the area of ICT management” during its meeting on 17 October 2013. The next meeting of the SIGB will occur on 10 December 2013.
The federal Department of Health is expected to axe 350 jobs as part of the Coalition’s plan to cut 12,000 public sector jobs, reports Fairfax. The Population Health Division is estimated to shrink by 30 per cent and the Primary and Ambulatory Care Division is set to lose 25 per cent of its staff. The cuts follow the Department’s loss of 1,230 staff through Machinery of Government changes. The Government has also announced a recruitment freeze at CSIRO on new hiring and the extension of any “existing term or contract employment arrangements”, which could affect up to 1,400 non-ongoing employees at the agency.
The NSW Department of Attorney General and Justice has appointed Andrew Cappie-Wood as its new Director General, reports PS News. Cappie-Wood is leaving his position as the head of the ACT Chief Minister’s Office to take on the role vacated in July 2013 by Laurie Glanfield (now DG of the Department of Finance and Services). Cappie-Wood has extensive Director-General experience under his belt, having served as DG at the NSW Department of Housing, Department of Education and Training, and Department of Ageing, Disability and Home Care in the past.
The Federal Attorney-General Department’s 2012-13 Annual Report has revealed further details of the Department’s bid to combat cybercrime. It is currently developing the Australian Cybercrime Online Reporting Network as a way to “address the emerging threat posed by technology-enabled criminal activity”. The report also notes the Department’s desire to create an interoperable criminal intelligence system which can produce national pictures of serious and organised crime. The system is aimed at enhancing the Department’s ability to gather, use and share criminal intelligence.
The Federal Department of Finance has issued an Expression of Interest for an Intra-Government Communications Network (ICON) workflow solution. ICON is a point to point fibre network connection between Government buildings in Canberra. It ensures that agencies have voice, data and video transfer capabilities. The workflow solution will assist the management and reporting of all ICON activities. It will manage both day to day maintenance work and project implementations. Submissions close on 11 December 2013.
The Australian Securities and Investment Council (ASIC) has launched a new online hub for small businesses to better understand their legal obligations and the role of ASIC. The new hub features “information on starting and closing a small business, legal requirements for small business operators, one minute guides on popular topics and access to ASIC’s new quarterly small business eNewsletter”. Small businesses account for 96 per cent of all businesses registered through ASIC.
The Victorian Department of State Development, Business and Innovation (DSDBI) has released its 2012-13 Annual Report detailing the transfer of whole-of-government ICT responsibilities to the Chief Technology Advocate (CTA), housed within DSDBI. The CTA was created in March 2013, with the report noting that the transfer of ICT responsibilities was concluded in June 2013. The report is light on information about recent and upcoming ICT projects, which could be attributed to the finalisation of transitional arrangements and the relatively recent appointment of the CTA.
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