Media Release - Labor’s ICT jobs purge threatens digital service delivery

MEDIA RELEASE

Labor’s ICT jobs purge threatens digital service delivery

The culling of over 1,200 specialist ICT jobs in Services Australia will hamper innovation in digital service delivery, Shadow Minister for Shadow Minister for Government Services and the Digital Economy, Paul Fletcher said today.

In Senate Estimates, Services Australia revealed that 1,240 ICT contractors were sacked last year, considerably more than the 1,000 jobs the Agency last year said were let go. Of those 1,240, a mere 140 will transition to the public service on a non-ongoing basis.

“The Albanese Government’s decision to take the axe to ICT contractors at Services Australia is bad news for customers, bad news for innovation and takes digital transition in government backwards,” Mr Fletcher said.

“Australians overwhelmingly choose to do their business with government online, but Government Services Minister Bill Shorten is getting rid of the skilled workforce which maintains and enhances digital services.

“The warning signs were there last year when Mr Shorten couldn’t bring himself to deliver a single new digital service delivery initiative in the Budget.

“We know from Senate Estimates that there are no new major digital service projects being commenced.

“Big-ticket reforms such as the Coalition’s billion-dollar Welfare Payment Infrastructure Transformation project have come to end with nothing to replace them under this government.

“The technology skills deficit Mr Shorten is presiding over at Services Australia will only compound the already glacial pace of the government and in responding to the myGov User Audit.”

ENDS