Tasmania eyes $67.5 million in IT upgrades

In its 2017-18 budget handed down today, the Tasmanian government has earmarked more than $60 million for key digital transformation projects, including a program to upgrade IT systems relied on by police in the state. Overall the government said it intended to spend $67.5 million in ICT upgrades.

The government allocated $11.9 million over two years, beginning in 2017-18, for Project Unify (total funding including recurrent costs will be $13.1 million, the government said).

The project, administered by the Department of Police, Fire and Emergency Management will “develop an integrated and sophisticated operational information system that will support operational decision making, safe communities, information sharing and enhance regulatory and compliance activities,” budget papers state.

Other digital transformation projects include $16.6 million over five years for design work on Justice Connect, which will replace legacy criminal information management systems, and $6 million for the Child and Youth Services (CYS) Client Information System.

The Health ICT Priority Infrastructure Program is expected to receive $18 million and the Public Account Reporting and Cash Management System $5 million.

Full project costs for Justice Connect, the CYS Client Information System, the Health ICT program and the cash management system are yet to be finalised.

Tasmania will spend $3.4 million over four years to roll out body worn cameras to frontline police officers in the state.

The budget also includes $2 million for the final years of the government’s Emergency Services Computer Aided Dispatch (ESCAD) System project. The ESCAD contract was awarded to Fujitsu in 2016. ESCAD replaces a number of non-integrated dispatch systems across a range of agencies including Tasmanian Fire, Ambulance Tasmania, State Emergency Services (SES), and Police.

An overhaul of the state’s Budget Management System received $2.9 million. The project is being overseen by the Department of Treasury and Finance.

The government also allocated $1 million in 2017-18 to enhance the Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment’s Fisheries Integrated Licensing and Management System.

Around $900,000 over four years will be spent on a ‘Digital Ready’ program to help Tasmanian small businesses participate in the digital economy.