Kevin Noonan, Research Director comments: An independent review conducted by Dr Ian Reinecke has declared mission accomplished on the Federal Government's Gershon Report. This is an important step for government leaders and policy makers as it draws a clear line under this landmark Report.
Reinecke's report acknowledges the enormous task in delivering the Gershon recommendations. He noted the significant progress made by the Government and by AGIMO in delivering such an ambitious change agenda.
However the report's detailed analysis paints a picture of a government bureaucracy focused too much on the delivering the mechanics of the Gershon recommendations but losing sight of the big picture. Reinicke notes that senior government ICT committees tended to work more like production lines, slogging through big detailed workloads. Too much attention has been devoted to the mechanics and not enough to important strategic issues.
Reinecke's report provides an important circuit breaker for Special Minister of State Gary Gray, now responsible for Government ICT. The Gershon Report was Tanner's baby and has now been declared complete. This leaves the slate clean for Gray to build on Gershon, and set out his own policy direction. Reinecke's report also provides an important checkpoint for senior government officials to step back and refocus on strategic ICT directions. These are in immediate need of senior attention and leadership.
