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A previous Service NSW head has been tasked with assessing the business registers project.
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Jones appoints specialist digital exec to lead MBR review
24 February 2023
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Experienced executive Damon Rees will lead the independent review of the Modernising Business Registers (MBR) program.
Minister for Financial Services Stephen Jones said Mr Rees brought with him considerable experience in complex and digitally enabled transformations.
“Mr Rees has previously held senior digital and information technology-related roles at Westpac, Woolworths and Macquarie group,” said Mr Jones.
“He is currently the managing principal and CEO of Better As Usual and was most recently the CEO of Service NSW, where he oversaw the introduction of several ICT [information and communication technology] projects, including delivery of the NSW digital drivers licence.”
“A final report with recommendations will be provided to government by 30 June 2023.”
The review into the MBR program was announced earlier this month after Mr Jones said there was a huge cost blow-out.
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A central pillar of the program, director ID numbers, failed to sign up one in five directors – 500,000 out of 2.5 million – despite a deadline extension and substantial penalties for non-compliance.
“Our business registries are critical infrastructure, modernising them is essential,” he said.
“The previous government hid a $1 billion cost blow-out to the Modernising Business Register program and left it to languish.”
“It (the review) will deliver a comprehensive understanding of the current state of the program and provide recommendations for changes, improvements and strategies to best position it to achieve its intended objectives.”
CPA Australia senior manager of tax policy Elinor Kasapidis said along with the review the government needed to provide greater funding for the program.
"Successive governments have underinvested in data systems for decades, we want to see additional funding for the Modernising Business Registers program in the upcoming federal budget," said Ms Kasapidis.
"Extra funding must help ensure the registry can be expanded or changed as required, we need a program that ensures the registry is fit for purpose into the future."
"The upfront cost will pay dividends into the future by supporting the government's digital transformation and easing administrative strains on the public."
Treasury said the review would provide a comprehensive understanding of the current state of the MBR program by:
- Assessing the expenditure to date including drivers contributing to cost increases.
- Measuring what has been delivered, and work remaining to achieve the objectives of the program.
- Identifying key aspects that present significant risks, including to the successful delivery of the program’s objectives, cost and delivery schedule.
- Validating current estimated costs and underlying assumptions.
- Evaluating governance and management practices.
“It will provide recommendations on how to best position the program to achieve its intended objectives, including:
- Improvements or changes to information technology solutions.
- Improvements or alternative approaches to design and delivery that will reduce cost, accelerate delivery and/or improve governance and management of the program.
- Strategies, which might include appropriate revisions to the scope of the program’s deliverables, to mitigate significant risks to the successful delivery of the program’s objectives, cost and delivery schedule.”
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