Five-year ICT strategy to take QLD Government online

Queensland commits to doubling the number of online services available.

The Queensland Government has announced a five-year-plan to meet the expectations of the digitally native generation.

The 'Toward Q2 through ICT' strategy will allow Queenslanders to conduct 50 percent of all government service interactions online by 2012, doubling the number of online services that are available currently.

Twitter, blogs and other Web 2.0 technologies will play a role in the government's plan to involve Queenslanders in policy debates and consultations.

Meanwhile, digital archiving and record management practices will be reviewed to improve internal and public access to information.

"The potential for information and communication technology (ICT) to enhance our lives is enormous," a QGCIO spokesperson said.

"Now, more than ever, business and government must embrace ICT to engage with the community," the spokesperson told iTnews.

Currently, the government spends an estimated $1.3 billion on ICT annually.

It plans to increase efficiency through a whole-of-government ICT approach and reduce the per-unit cost of business-as-usual ICT expenditure by 15 percent by 2013 in a policy that reflects the Federal Government's Gershon Review goals.

The strategy was developed by the Department for Public Works in Queensland and is targeted primarily at CIOs and CEOs of Queensland Government agencies.

It was received positively at an Australian Information Industry Association (AIIA) event in Brisbane last week.

"The development of Queensland's ICT strategy has involved broad and deep engagement with the technology industry," AIIA National Chairman John Grant said in a statement to the media.

"The AIIA would welcome similar visionary approaches to achieving the value of transformational ICT from other major states and territories."

Annual progress reports will be delivered by the Queensland Government CIO.