In the Investing for Growth policy statement released in 1997, the Prime Minister, the Hon John Howard MP, announced a framework for growth and dynamism in the Australian economy. It focused on building competitiveness and accelerating economic reform. In addition, it set an ambitious target for federal agencies and departments to have all appropriate services online (via the Internet) by December 2001. This has paid huge dividends. In February 2002, at the World Congress of Information Technology held in Adelaide, the Prime Minister confirmed that the 2001 target had been met.
The federal government is now well advanced, in global terms, in the use of the Internet to provide government services and programs online. However, the Coalition Government recognises that we must not rest on our laurels as other governments are also making good progress. It is vital for the federal government to continue to be a leading edge user of ICT, because it impacts directly on our competitiveness and therefore our national prosperity.
Federal departments and agencies must move beyond the first stage of Internet applications to an even more advanced stage – the era of fully-fledged e–government – in which the application of new technologies to government services, information and administration demonstrates sustained benefits to citizens, business and government itself.
This strategy maps out the policy framework within which federal departments and agencies will go about achieving that objective. The responsibility for overseeing future developments, particularly involving those where collaboration between agencies is required, will rest with the newly established Information Management Strategy Committee (IMSC) of Secretaries and CEOs from key departments and agencies. The IMSC will be supported by a Chief Information Officer (CIO) Committee.
In this new era of e–government, citizens are at the core of the process. Australians will not need to know about the structure of government in order to be able to deal effectively with it. The community will also benefit from improved convenience, as many federal agencies will in effect be available to the public 24-hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week. Another benefit will be enhanced transparency of government decision-making processes and operations. What we will have is a more integrated, coordinated and efficient approach to information and services across all service channels.
The impact of e–government on the business community, particularly small business, in saving time and slashing red tape, illustrates its transformative potential. Firms are now able to complete many government administrative requirements online, whether it be form-filling, seeking access to business assistance programs, undertaking a transaction or submitting taxation returns.
Federal departments and agencies will continue to identify and implement online services which demonstrate real benefits. Increasingly, business will also be able both to win government business opportunities and to receive payments online. In these ways, many of the efficiency gains from e–government will flow directly to the business bottom line.
In short, e–government is about better services and better government for all Australians.
Senator the Hon Richard Alston, Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts
Quelle: The National Office for the Information Economy of Australia
