Report confirms IT outsourcing fears

Date: 07 September 2000

CSIRO Staff Association condemns waste of public funds at the expense of public sector science

The report of the Commonwealth Auditor-General has at last put on the record the serious problems with the Government's information technology (IT) outsourcing initiative.

The Report "Implementation of Whole-of-Government Information Technology Infrastructure Consolodation and Outsourcing Initiative" from the Australian National Audit Office was presented to Parliament late yesterday.

It follows a nation-wide day of protest by CSIRO scientists held last Tuesday (29 August) against the IT outsourcing being applied to the public sector science agencies. CSIRO scientists were joined by their colleagues from the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, the Bureau of Meteorology, the Australian Antarctic Division, and the Australian Geological Survey Organisation whose science is also under threat of damage if the IT outsourcing proceeds.

CSIRO Staff Association Assistant Secretary Dr Pauline Gallagher says: "We have been aware of the the blow-out in costs of the initiative both in its implementation and ongoing contract management. Add to this the poor service record of the existing contract providers, their failures to set up and maintain adequate security of IT systems and questions over whether the providers have the capability to meet government agency needs and you have a recipe for disaster for public science."

"We are appalled by the amount of money wasted on overseas consultants at a time when funding for science is so scarce. Australia needs an urgent major injection of funds into science right now. Australia needs the scientific achievements of CSIRO now more than ever. CSIRO is already losing valuable IT people because of this short-sighted initiative and wasting resources to meet Government requirements."

"We consider the budget penalties, of more than $15 million since 1998 for CSIRO alone, to be nothing more than a tax on scientific research and development. We call on the Government to restore these budget funds to CSIRO and the science agencies immediately and to stop the IT outsourcing now before it does any more damage to the scientific effort for public good."

For further comment contact:

Pauline Gallagher

03 9206 2288

0417 219 594

For further information

Contact:	Pauline Gallagher
Union:	CPSU - National Office
Phone:	0417 219 594

LaborNET is proudly created, designed and programmed
by Social Change Online for the Labor Council of NSW
[Credits] [Site Matters]