This week’s big-ticket items are public service reform, the new post-Optus telco regulations, robodebt and a bunch of audit-related activities.
Here are the digital developments from Canberra I’ve noticed since the previous edition on 8 October.
- The Minister for the Public Service, Senator Katy Gallagher, presented a major speech outlining the government’s plans for public service reform. This includes an in-house consulting unit to provide professional services to agencies, intending to reduce the use of external consultants. Contractors will be used “only when suitable and requiredâ€.
- We now have the text of the updated Telecommunications Regulations 2021 in the wake of the Optus data breach, and they’re now in force. The relevant bits are sections 15A and 15B.
- The government has finally dumped all the robodebt cases and debts.
- There’s also a Government response to fifth interim report (PDF) into robodebt, and the Government response to Accountability and justice: Why we need a Royal commission into Robodebt report (PDF), both tabled 13 October 2022. We already have that royal commission, of course,
- “At the Government’s request, DFAT will design a new policy to set the long-term direction for Australia’s international development engagement.” Submissions close 30 November 2022.
- The Joint Committee of Public Accounts and Audit has launched an inquiry, Commonwealth procurement: Inquiry into Auditor-General Reports 6, 15, 30, 42 (2021-22) and 5 (2022-23)., “with a view to improving the culture of how procurement rules and guidelines are implemented across the Australian Public Service“. This included that damning report on the Digital Transformation Agency. Submissions close 11 December.
- The Australian Securities and Investment Commission released its 2021-22 Annual Report.
Please let me know if I’ve missed anything, or if there’s any specific items you’d like me to follow.
Parliament next sits for Budget Night on 25 October, so I daresay I’ll add to this series of posts next Saturday, before things kick off.