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Location: Blogs John Webster - PM Down Under |
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| Posted by: John Webster |
5/27/2007 |
Australia and New Zealand governments have recently announced their budgets for the year ahead, and as usual the governemnt departments have started announcing the projects they will be spending money on.
Gleaned from this week's Computerworld...
e-Government: NZ$9 million to develop an Identity Verification Service. Allows people to verify their identity with government agencies online in real time – a bit like an electronic passport. Dependent on the uptake of two-factor identification systems (Login name and password augmented by a second piece of identification).
The Ministry of Health is looking to replace its system for paying health claims (about 90 million per year).
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade is looking at developing a knowledge management strategy (to combat WOMBAT – waste of money, brains and time).
The Australian Customs Service is rolling out a new electronic document and records management system.
The State Government of New South Wales Education Department has just completed a technical project delivering over 100 virtual x86 servers.
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Re: New Government Projects |
By 885610 on
6/14/2007 |
One of the benefits of being a small country is the ability to innovate quickly, so things like decimalisation and going metric were over quickly and painlessly. So it will be with passports. NZ passports are widely sought after partly because we're seen as a peaceful, non-threatening presence with no enemies. We're also seen as passive and a bit relaxed. We've recently had Mossad sending agents here to try to steal some identities and get passports issued fraudulently, hence a move to tighten up on passport issuing and technology. I was involved in an earlier passport issuing system that was rigorous in its checking, and now even more so.
Unfortunately, we're also driven by the paranoia of the security authorities in the USA. Most people of my acquaintance who have to fly to London will now avoid flying through the USA, instead chosing the eastern route via Asia. Our travel agent recommends it - she says US Customs and Immigrations never did have a friendly reputation, but now the way they treat people is rude crude and dangerous.
My favourite form by the way is the one you had to fill in on the way into the USA. It asked the question like "Have you ever been a member of a terrorist group or a group dedicated to the overthrow of a government?" - duh! I bet that one catches out a lot of terrorists! Don't get me started.
The so-called 'anti-smacking' bill passed into law after a compromise was found that explicitly stated that the police had discretion in deciding whether to prosecute. For anyone not in the know, the bill sought to remove a defence of "reasonable force" for people charged with assaulting children. As it was a jury trial offence this had resulted in people being acquitted after beating their kids with horse whips, lumps of wood etc because the jury believed it was a parent's right to discipline their kids!
Anyway, I'm not aware of any requirement for PMP in procurement. We don't have the numbers to make it a realistic requirement. Some years ago there was a move to make ISO9000 a requirement for working with government, in Queensland in particular. In NZ it was "desirable" but not required. We won a contract with a government organisation on the basis that we could hsow we understood ISO9000 and had an ISO9000-style quality system, but didn't want the costs of certification. This was accepted.
BTW, I've removed a requirement for permission to make comments, so it should now be open to everyone. |
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Re: New Government Projects |
By 885610 on
6/24/2007 |
For those of you who like snow and ice, Scott Base in Antartica is out to tender for hardware upgrades.
The local PMI Group had a talk at the last meeting about project managing restoration work on historic Antarctic huts. Now there's some interesting constraints! Site access available October to February. If you miss the last plane out you're there for the winter... |
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