WA's Dept of Transport restructures IT delivery, seeks CIO

Western Australia’s Department of Transport is recruiting for a CIO to uplift its IT and digital systems following an internal review.

Responsibility for the department’s IT systems previously sat with Christian Thompson under the title of executive director of business information systems.

The department now intends to replace this function with a CIO role and is recruiting for it.

In a statement to iTnews, a Department of Transport spokesman said the new CIO “role is crucial to [the department's] overall strategic vision”.

“The CIO will play a pivotal role in advancing our vision of creating more connected, efficient, and innovative systems that support the delivery of high-quality services to the WA community,” the spokesperson said.

According to the department, the new CIO will be tasked with “overseeing critical programs and initiatives”, including designing a “comprehensive” digital strategy.

In addition, they will develop “accessible and integrated systems and infrastructure” and improve the department’s data management and analytics capabilities.

“These efforts aim to significantly improve our digital infrastructure and service delivery,” the spokesman added.

The department initially received $17.9 million to transition its "ageing, core ICT infrastructure" to the cloud in its 2022-2023 Budget.

In the state's latest budget for 2024-2025 [pdf], the department received $13.6 million to uplift its cyber security environment to “establish a more secure digital environment and ensure the continued protection of personal data”.

Additionally, the department will integrate WA Police Force’s digital infringement system into its own licensing and registration services.