Gerry Brownlee National ACC Spokesperson

4 February 2002

ACC's $173.3 million computer blowout

"ACC is being deliberately obtuse and shifty in providing proper answers to legitimate questions about its expenditure on computer development costs," says National ACC spokesman Gerry Brownlee.

Mr Brownlee says Official Information Act requests by National have revealed that during the past three years ACC has spent $173.3 million on computer technology and software development.

"That is an extremely large amount of money for a Government monopoly to be spending on computers. The INCIS system was widely caned when it was publicised that Police had spent $92 million - with a projected blowout to $118 million - on that scheme."

Gerry Brownlee says he's alarmed to have learnt that of this figure, $78.7 million has been spent on outside contractors and information technology specialists. He is also angry at the "uncooperative and shifty" way in which ACC has handled this OIA request.

"Despite obtaining nearly 1500 pages from ACC there are still some big gaps in the information provided. We have only been given nebulous reasons - such as "commercial sensitivity" and "professional privilege" - for not being given all the information we asked for."

Mr Brownlee says he was disturbed to receive - in the mountain of paper from ACC - an e-mail from an outside IT contractor to a senior ACC manager suggesting five possible scenarios of how ACC might handle the OIA request.

"It is totally unacceptable for a Government monopoly to be sidestepping proper, public accountability by employing such tactics," Mr Brownlee concluded

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