While many agencies have suffered cuts under the latest South Australian budget, many areas of ICT expenditure in the 2010-11 year will see a rise in funding.
Noting major variations in expenditure between the 2009-10 and 2010-11 budgets, the South Australian Department of Treasury and Finance said it in the budget that it would increase expenditure by $15 million on ICT initiatives including its shared services reform, a taxation revenue management system and an e-procurement project.
The e-procurement project, being run in conjunction with the shared services project, will according to Treasury, result in improved procurement practices and reduction of internal red tape.
In the 2010-11 financial year, the Department of Treasury and Finance noted it would spend some $92.64 million on its shared services program aimed at designing, developing, implementing and delivering shared services across government.
The figure is up from $85.86 million in the 2009-10 “estimated result”, itself up from the actual 2009-10 budget of $76 million.
Detailing the net cost of the shared services “sub program”, Treasury said said the 2010-11 budget would be $14.59 million, down from 2009-10’s $25.54 million.
In commentary on the program, Treasury said the first phase of the shared service reform program, which finished in February 2008, had focused on payroll/HRMS, accounts payable and accounts receivable.
The second phase, completed in the 2009-10 year saw general accounting, external financial reporting, asset accounting and taxation services move to shared services. Planning is underway on the third phase.
Noting the cost of ICT support services, including provision of client devices, desktop and technical support and network connectivity, Treasury said $2.08 million would be spent in 2010-11, against $2.58 million in 2009-10. Some $307,000 will also be spent on Cabinet ICT infrastructure.
ICT spending in the year ahead would decrease in a number of areas, including $5.5 million due to one-off set-up costs of the government’s e-procurement project in 2009-10, and $3.7 million relating to the transition of specific ICT functions to the Department of Transport, Energy and Infrastructure.
Looking at wider South Australian government ICT investment, the 2010-11 budget notes $106.3 million over four years to recruit an additional 300 police and equip SAPOL with the latest crime fighting technology, including hand held computers, a portable fingerprint scanning system and more automated number plate recognition mobile cameras. This also includes funding for a trial of a “Star Chase” pursuit management system.
Some $5.4 million over four years, in addition to $4 million provided in the 2009-10 budget, to increase resourcing to the state’s volunteer-based emergency services, including new technology, infrastructure upgrades, equipment and volunteer support.
The budget also notes $265 million over four years to support costs arising from the South Australian Education (Government Preschools and Schools) Arbitrated Enterprise Bargaining Award 201.
This includes additional resources for ICT technical and curriculum support in schools and the appointment of up to 720 full time employees per annum of additional teaching and non-teaching staff in schools and preschools. The additional ICT funding will provide for up to 125 full time additional staff.
---
Autor(en)/Author(s): Tim Lohman
Quelle/Source: Computerworld, 17.09.2010
Bitte besuchen Sie/Please visit:
