Qld payroll project on track for end-2018 completion

The Queensland government has responded to media criticism over its handling of the project to replace the payroll system for four agencies by asserting that it is committed to the delivery of the system.

The Courier Mail recently reported on the results of a leaked report into the project from consultants PwC, claiming that the report found that the project is months behind schedule and almost certain to blow its $100 million budget.

The project for new payroll and staff management systems for paramedics, firefighters and prison officers is reportedly costing $700,000 per month but has been stalled by government indecision. The report further claims that the delay may result in these employees facing missed or delayed payments.

But in response to the report, Queensland Minister for Innovation, Science and the Digital Economy Leeanne Enoch insisted that arrangements are in place to successfully deliver the new system, and blamed any delays on the previous Liberal-National government.

“Unfortunately, what we have seen from the LNP on this program was complete mismanagement from day one. They allocated $100 million to this program in 2012, and it is my understanding the LNP subsequently invested about $18.5 million — or more than half the spend to date — into it for work including initial scoping and a procurement exercise,” she said.

“I can assure everyone we will not take shortcuts, and we are applying due diligence to this process. We have worked hard to put this program well and truly back on track, and we are confident we now have the arrangements in place to deliver this project successfully.”

Full integration of the payroll component of the project is expected to be completed by the end of next year, she said. In the interim, public servants will continue to be paid using existing systems.

In response to the findings of the PwC report, Enoch said the government has appointed an experienced program director who is in the process of restructuring the program.

The other findings and recommendations of the report will be addressed by the Department of Science, Information Technology and Innovation, which took over management of the project in late 2016.

Image courtesy of Matt Brown under CC

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