August 1999

UNITED CALLS FOR INDEPENDENT EXPERT INQUIRY ON GOVERNMENT IT PROGRAMMES

United New Zealand leader, Hon Peter Dunne, is calling for an independent expert inquiry into government IT programmes in the light of the INCIS debacle.

He says that the INCIS mess is a further example of the government's inability to manage IT projects successfully, and that it was time for an independent investigation into why INCIS and other major IT projects have failed.

"The only certainties taxpayers have about government IT projects is that they will not deliver all the claims made for them; they will not be up and running on time; and, they will cost millions of dollars more than first anticipated."

"INCIS is just one in a continuing long line of government IT embarrassments."

"We have already had the National Library fiasco; there are ongoing issues about various health sector computer systems; there is the issue of the IRD's electronic filing of tax returns; and, now there are looming problems with the WINZ computer system."

"It is time to call a halt to this ongoing litany of failures, and to establish an independent expert inquiry to look at the way government IT programmes are developed; their ongoing project management and budgetting; and whether a special stand-alone agency may be required to co-ordinate their development, planning and financing to put an end to the shambles we have seen over the last few years," Mr Dunne says.

ENDS
New Zealand's Liberal Party

MEDIA STATEMENT
HON PETER DUNNE, MP
LEADER UNITED NEW ZEALAND
Parliament Buildings, Wellington 1.

e-mail: peter.dunne@parliament.govt.nz. Internet Address: http://www.united.org.nz

New Zealand's Liberal Party

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Gordon Campbell: On the Sony cyber attack

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