Labor MP Jason Clare has been appointed Shadow Communications Minister. Labor’s Michelle Rowland will take up the role of Assisting Minister of Communications. The Communications portfolio has been in high profile lately due to the Coalition’s ongoing review of the former government’s National Broadband Network (NBN). The Coalition has indicated its preference for a fibre-to-the-node solution in place of the fibre-to-the-premise solution that is currently being implemented.
The National Broadband Network (NBN) is seeking consultancy services to support its Strategic Review of the operational and financial state of the current NBN rollout and the specifics of an alternative model. The results of the closed request for proposal are expected to be announced by the end of October 2013.
Following machinery of government changes, the new Coalition Government has split the former Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency’s $12.7 million managed hosting deal with Fujitsu between two new Departments, reports IT News. Fujitsu will provide hosting services worth $10.2 million to the Clean Energy Regulator and services worth $2.5 million to the Department of Industry, which has absorbed energy-related functions from the former Department of Resources, Energy and Tourism.
The now Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development (DIRD) recently contracted Strategic Reform to undertake a review of its ICT Plan. “The Department’s current ICT Strategic Plan ends at 30 June 2014 so it is timely and good business practice to undertake a review,” a spokesperson for DIRD told Intermedium. “The review will be considered in the development of a new Strategic Plan to be in place from 1 July 2014.” The $16,800 contract was for a period of 11 days from 23 September to 4 October 2013.
Shared Services SA, the South Australian Government’s shared corporate services program, has failed to achieve savings since its inception in 2008, reports IT News. A recent report by the State’s Auditor-General found that Shared Services SA, a branch of the Department of Treasury and Finance, generated around $53 million by June 2013, falling short of its implementation cost of $86.5 million.
Queensland Treasury and Trade has confirmed its plans to procure email-as-a-service the Department of Science, Information Technology, Innovation and the Arts’ (DSITIA) whole-of-Queensland-Government contract, reports IT News. DSITIA is currently evaluating responses from a closed approach to market for a panel for the provision of hosted email solutions.
Parramatta City Council will be the first council in Australia to introduce Windows 8.1 software on its mobile devices, laptops and desktop PCs. The move is expected to “help transform Council's 750 employees into a truly mobile workforce with anywhere, anytime access” and aid field workers in the collection, processing and distribution of information.
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