Wednesday, September 23, 2020
A damning Auditor-General report released today serves as another reminder of Labor’s endless digital disasters that continue to rip-off Queensland taxpayers.
LNP Shadow Minister for Health Ros Bates said it was clear Labor hadn’t learnt a thing a decade after their failed $1.25 billion health payroll debacle.
“This is yet another shocking example of Labor’s wasteful spending,” Ms Bates said.
“The damning findings in the report are in addition to the $527 million in IT project blowouts under Labor.
“This is money that could have been spent on providing better health services.
“Wasting taxpayers’ money renaming hospitals and ongoing IT failures shows Labor’s priorities are all wrong.
“It’s clear health IT projects and Labor just don’t mix, and Queensland taxpayers continue to get ripped off.
“The LNP will treat taxpayer’s money with respect and stop Labor’s wasteful spending.
“The LNP will build a firewall that ensures Labor’s digital disasters are never repeated.
“We will insist that the Chief Information Officer works with government departments to produce mandatory project criteria.
“Departments will be compelled to provide more information about their decisions and conduct regular health checks as projects are rolled out.
“The Chief Information Officer will investigate project failures and ensure that lessons are learned.
“We will keep technology budgets on track and in the black.
“Every dollar Labor wastes is a dollar that can’t be spent providing better health services or supporting jobs.”
What the report found:
- $33.5 million cost blow-out after the go-live date in August last year.
- $540 million of invoices to small business suppliers were paid late
- 14 of 16 Hospital and Health Services reported that the system didn’t operate as they expected at go-live
- Millions of dollars of small business invoices were over 90 days late as at June this year.
- The new IT system does not automatically track PPE demand outside distribution centres
- Poor governance and accountability frameworks
Link: https://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/Documents/TableOffice/TabledPapers/2020/5620T1666.pdf