Vic Govt appoints tech advocate

The Victorian Government has named former South Australian Government chief information officer Grantly Mailes as its first chief technology advocate.

The newly created role, announced today, will be responsible for delivering the state's February 2013 ICT strategy.

Mailes led the strategy's development as chair of the Victorian Information and Communications Technology Advisory Committee and has been deputy secretary of innovation and technology for the state's Department of Business and Innovation since November.

Victoria does not have a whole-of-government CIO; instead, major agency CIOs sit on a council chaired by the Department of Treasury and Finance's Government Technology division.

Technology Minister Gordon Rich-Phillips said Mailes would provide "vitally important" direction and co-ordination for Victoria's ICT, blaming the previous Labor government's "piecemeal approach to ICT" for a range of project failures.

“Mr Mailes will initially focus on delivering better services, reducing waste, encouraging innovation and improving ICT procurement across government," Mailes said.

“This work is vitally important to ensuring that the government’s ICT projects are delivered to make the best use of taxpayers’ money."