Ambitious online agenda
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Tuesday, 14 August, 2001 - 22:00
WA’S peak Internet association has criticised a recent National Office for the Information Economy survey that indicates 93 per cent of government agencies are online.
The WA Internet Association said the figures do not differentiate between government departments establishing functional, interactive websites, or simple, brochure-type sites.
Senator Ian Campbell, the parliamentary secretary to the Information Technology Minister, released the NOIE survey last week. It showed 93 per cent of all government services were online, while 7 per cent would fail to meet the end-of-year target and would come online sometime next year.
Prime Minister John Howard announced in 1997’s Investing for Innovation statement that all government services would be online by 2001.
WAIA spokesperson Kim Heitman said the figures in the report did not take into account the different levels of online service.
“I don’t think 93 per cent is the right number because what they are talking about is whether the services have any online presence at all,” he said.
“I think we have to dig a bit deeper than that and see if they are actually delivering services or wherever they have just got their contact details online.”
Mr Heitman said a functional website could eliminate the need for customers and clients to wait in telephone queues.
Basic enquiries could be answered online, leaving government staff time to focus on more important tasks.
He said brochure sites with only basic contact details meant online customers were still required to telephone government departments during business hours.
“There are problems at the moment with sites not being updated or contact details devolving back to a person in an office, rather than allowing the processes of the government department to be delivered in all respects online,” Mr Heitman said.
However, Senator Campbell said the survey indicated that Common-wealth services provided online were becoming more sophisticated in terms of interactive and down-loadable information.
“Our ambitious Government online agenda is, and will continue to, transform government and the way individuals and business interact with all aspects of government,” he said. “This will ensure Australia remains one of the world leaders in the information economy and provide the largest transformation of internal and external government services ever.”
The survey found 40 per cent of agencies would have the majority of their services online, but a third said only 30 per cent of their services would be online.
The WA Internet Association said the figures do not differentiate between government departments establishing functional, interactive websites, or simple, brochure-type sites.
Senator Ian Campbell, the parliamentary secretary to the Information Technology Minister, released the NOIE survey last week. It showed 93 per cent of all government services were online, while 7 per cent would fail to meet the end-of-year target and would come online sometime next year.
Prime Minister John Howard announced in 1997’s Investing for Innovation statement that all government services would be online by 2001.
WAIA spokesperson Kim Heitman said the figures in the report did not take into account the different levels of online service.
“I don’t think 93 per cent is the right number because what they are talking about is whether the services have any online presence at all,” he said.
“I think we have to dig a bit deeper than that and see if they are actually delivering services or wherever they have just got their contact details online.”
Mr Heitman said a functional website could eliminate the need for customers and clients to wait in telephone queues.
Basic enquiries could be answered online, leaving government staff time to focus on more important tasks.
He said brochure sites with only basic contact details meant online customers were still required to telephone government departments during business hours.
“There are problems at the moment with sites not being updated or contact details devolving back to a person in an office, rather than allowing the processes of the government department to be delivered in all respects online,” Mr Heitman said.
However, Senator Campbell said the survey indicated that Common-wealth services provided online were becoming more sophisticated in terms of interactive and down-loadable information.
“Our ambitious Government online agenda is, and will continue to, transform government and the way individuals and business interact with all aspects of government,” he said. “This will ensure Australia remains one of the world leaders in the information economy and provide the largest transformation of internal and external government services ever.”
The survey found 40 per cent of agencies would have the majority of their services online, but a third said only 30 per cent of their services would be online.