MEDIA RELEASE - BILL SHORTEN’S MYGOV USER AUDIT RESPONSE TOO LITTLE, TOO LATE

PAUL FLETCHER MP

Shadow Minister for Science and the Arts

Shadow Minister for Government Services and the Digital Economy

Manager of Opposition Business in the House

MEDIA RELEASE

19 December 2023

BILL SHORTEN’S MYGOV USER AUDIT RESPONSE TOO LITTLE, TOO LATE

Less than a week before Christmas, the Albanese Labor Government has quietly issued a response to its myGov User Audit, albeit five months late, with Government Services Minister Bill Shorten only committing to four of the report’s ten recommendations.

The myGov User Audit, led by Mr David Thodey, was released publicly in January 2023 and extensively examined the myGov platform, the digital ‘front door’ to government used by around a million Australians each day to access government services and payments.

The major report described myGov as ‘critical national infrastructure’.

Shadow Minister for Government Services Paul Fletcher said Bill Shorten’s response was an empty box ticking exercise from a government with zero interest in digital transformation.

“This a wasted opportunity by Mr Shorten to show leadership and pursue reform in one of our most critically important pieces of digital infrastructure,” Mr Fletcher said.

“The fact that the government’s response is dated October but only just released sums up Bill Shorten’s lack of enthusiasm and passive approach to digital reform – he is much more interested in playing politics than in improving customer service.

“What was the point of recruiting someone as eminent and respected as David Thodey to undertake this audit, if the government is just going to ignore most of its recommendations?

“The report’s release follows revelations last week that Mr Shorten in MYEFO had secured just $11.3 million over two years for myGov. At $5.65 million a year, that’s 95 per cent less than the audit recommended.

“The myGov User Audit praised the former Coalition Government’s Enhanced myGov program, stating that the investment ‘put in place much needed building blocks for a better myGov’. Sadly that good work has not continued under Labor.”

Media contact: William Sparling | 0416 628 276 | [email protected]