WA Govt to review shared-services project

Temporary freeze on expansion.

WA Premier Colin Barnett has stalled further expansion of the State's office of shared services pending the outcome of an independent review of the project.

The office provided financial, human resources and online services to 55 State Government agencies.

About 23 other state agencies were in line to be added to the project – but that migration "would be temporarily put on hold until after the review", Barnett said in a statement.

At least one of the planned migrations was listed as on hold prior to the review, while others – such as the Department of Sport and Recreation – were on the verge of entering a build-and-test phase for shared services, according to the latest migration dataset [pdf] published in November.

"The terms of reference of the review are still being developed but in broad terms it will consider what has been achieved, the challenges encountered, what can be done better and whether the project offers value for money," Barnett said.

"In spite of the hard work of those involved there have been teething problems with the project.

"Bringing it to a halt will allow any of the remaining problems for agencies already in the system to be resolved before any new agencies are brought in."

Barnett said that the last review of the shared-services project occurred about two years ago. He said it had recommended this latest review occur.

"This review is an opportunity to take stock of what has happened so we can inform our future decision making," he said.

An August 2008 review by the Quadrant Group recommended the project "proceed according to its current plan and budget" at the time.

It identified "no issues ... that were of sufficient significance to warrant a deviation from the current plan".