MEDIA RELEASE - COALITION REFORMS SECURE AUSTRALIA’S TOP 5 STATUS IN DIGITAL GOVERNMENT SCORECARD

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

31 January 2024

COALITION REFORMS SECURE AUSTRALIA’S TOP 5 STATUS IN DIGITAL GOVERNMENT SCORECARD

A global report into digital government has ranked Australia in the top five performing countries globally, thanks to reforms delivered by the former Coalition Government.

The 2023 OECD Digital Government Index benchmarked the performance of 38 countries across six key metrics, utilising 155 data points and covering the period between 1 January 2020 and October 2022.

Australia’s overall score was 75.3 per cent, ahead of the OECD average of 60.5 per cent.

The report found that Australia demonstrated “a comprehensive approach to ensuring strong foundations for digital government” and singled out Australia for its “integrated approach” for tech investment.

Shadow Minister for Government Services and the Digital Economy Paul Fletcher said the impressive results independently affirm the Coalition’s strong track record of data and digital transformation.

“This report vindicates the Coalition’s strategy of ensuring government is delivering seamless, simple and safe services by improving the digital systems Australians rely on,” Mr Fletcher said.

“Our consistent investment in key platforms, such as myGov and Medicare, delivered a better customer service experience, lowered costs and increased efficiency across the board.

“By creating and empowering the Digital Transformation Agency, we ensured there was a strategic, whole-of-government approach to ICT investment and uplift, complemented by a clear-eyed focus on learning lessons from private sector innovation.

“Critically, we understood that delivering benefits to citizens through better digital government is not the end of the story - government reform unlocks significant time and cost savings for business and taxpayers alike, boosting productivity and creating jobs.

“Regrettably, the Albanese Labor Government has departed from the successful policy direction set down by the Coalition and now praised by the OECD.”

Just a few of Labor’s digital disasters include:

• Abandoning the goal of Australia becoming one of the top three digital governments globally by 2025.
• Failing to have a Digital Economy Minister or Digital Economy Strategy.
• Handing down a paper thin digital and data strategy with no new money and no measurable KPIs.
• Delivering just $5.65 million for myGov, when the independent myGov User Audit recommended annual recurrent funding of $138 million.
• Axing over 1000 specialised tech jobs, creating a digital brain drain at Services Australia.
• Playing musical chairs with digital identity policy, stripping the Digital Transformation Agency of its leadership role, and failing to back a robust assurance framework for ICT investment.
• Starting a pilot program on digital credential sharing with the NSW Government in February, promising delivery by September, and then having the pilot put on ice in June.
• Locking SMEs out of the Digital Transformation Agency Digital Marketplace.

“Labor’s digital drift is stifling innovation during a time of rapid technological change, resulting in a pile-up of costly legacy systems that are not compatible with a smooth customer service experience,” Mr Fletcher said.

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