18/2008
29 May 2008
Minister for Finance and Deregulation, Lindsay Tanner today announced the Department of Finance and Deregulation awarded a contract worth $25 million over four years for the provision of systems integration services to support the evolution of the australia.gov.au website to Electronic Data Systems Corporation, widely known as EDS, a leading global technology services company.
Funded under the Australian Government Online Service Point (AGOSP) Program and managed by the Department of Finance and Deregulation, the new australia.gov.au will provide users of Australian Government services with an improved ability to find information and online services, and carry out transactions with multiple agencies from one location.
Referring to the Australians’ Use of and Satisfaction with e-Government Services survey conducted by the Australian Government Information Management Office (AGIMO), Lindsay Tanner said: “Successive e government satisfaction surveys have indicated that the existing government information and online service arrangements are too rigid, too hard to find and often use complex language that’s difficult to understand.”
“People are also frustrated by the need to visit multiple websites to get the information and services they need and have repeatedly requested simple access to government information and services.”
“The Government is committed to streamlining and enhancing citizens’ engagement with government services online. We are focused in particular on the redevelopment of the Government’s one stop shop for government services, australia.gov.au.”
New services to be delivered as part of the EDS contract include the development of an australia.gov.au online account, allowing individuals to ‘log on’ and interact with government from a central point. The enhanced australia.gov.au will meet tough security standards, and in the interest of safeguarding individuals’ privacy, services offered through australia.gov.au will be strictly opt-in.
Last month’s 2020 Summit highlighted the public interest in having more immediate and practical access to government services, which was expressed in the form of an “ourgov.com” suggestion that consolidates online service delivery to the public.
Lindsay Tanner said: “The new australia.gov.au site will provide a more personalised way for people to interact with government and will provide a great deal of the desired functionality outlined in the 2020 Summit.”
“It will provide a platform for government to develop a more citizen-centric approach to its service delivery to citizens, and encourage agencies to work together toward this end.”
The first release of the technology infrastructure supporting the new australia.gov.au website will be delivered in the first quarter of 2009, with a second release scheduled for late 2010.
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| Media Contact: |
Website: |
| Nardia Dazkiw - 0418 144 690 | www.financeminister.gov.au |
