Old government computer systems to stay for years, minister says
Old government IT systems will stay in place for now. Replacing them would cost $15 billion.
Old government computer systems are here to stay for now, says Assistant Minister Patrick Gorman, because replacing them would cost $15 billion. The right technology to replace some systems may not exist yet.
Gorman told The Canberra Times that agencies must be careful about adopting new technology too quickly. Early versions often fail.
BlackBerries were rolled out to the public service effectively 20 years ago and are now defunct. In the latest APS census, 28 per cent of public servants said technology was a barrier to peak work.
A 2025 report found 71 per cent of agencies use outdated IT systems that account for 40 per cent of technology budgets. Gorman says some agencies have made progress through knowledge-sharing programs rather than expensive upgrades.
- $15 billion
- Cost to replace systems
- 28 per cent
- Public servants citing tech barrier
- 71 per cent
- Agencies using outdated IT
- 40 per cent
- Outdated IT share of tech budgets
Why it mattersAustralians waiting for government services will face continued delays and frustration with outdated systems for years rather than months or a faster timeline.
AustraliaThe Australian public service will continue struggling with old technology, making it slower and harder for government agencies to deliver services to citizens across Australia.
✓ Claims checked against the source and corrected before publish. checked 2 h ago
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