Works Ministry to use computer

Press, 24 October 1984, Page 24

Works Ministry to use computer

PA Dunedin The Ministry of Works and Development is planning to introduce a national computerised administration system to give greater control over financial and stores information. All Ministry districts would be linked to a computer in Wellington and the system was due for introduction next July, said the project manager for the works administration computer system, Mr T. Hink-

ley. In February, the chairman of the key Parliamentary Public Expenditure Committee, Mr lan McLean (Nat., Tarawera), said progress had been slow in achieving proper management systems in the Public Service and that the nation had lost opportunities to get much better value for money. “The Ministry of Works, along with many other departments, has been somewhat reluctant to move

rapidly to proper management information systems,” he said. ■ Mr Hinkley said the system would deal quickly with a large number of transactions, allowing accurate information to return to job managers in a shorter time than a manual system. The system had been tested with a pilot scheme in the Wellington district of the Ministry. The system had received conditional Government approval earlier this year and Mr

Hinkley said he expected final Cabinet approval soon. The system would be handled by an IBM 3081 computer and new equipment and training would cost about $7 million. The IBM 3081 now handles design and technical information for Ministry districts. The State Services Commission and the Public Service Association are discussing a new technology agreement for the introduction of the system.