15 October 2012

Work and Income inquiry must consider broader context

The Public Service Association hopes an independent inquiry into the Work and Income privacy breach will consider the pressures of trying to meet the government’s better public service targets.

The Chief Executive of the Ministry of Social Development has said an independent inquiry will be launched after a massive security breach was exposed in Work and Income NZ’s public kiosk computer system.

PSA National Secretary Brenda Pilott says the inquiry must also take in the wider context of the government’s public service priorities – one of which is to make greater use of and public access to technology.

“In the haste to try and meet these priorities, government departments are being put under enormous pressure to roll-out new IT and information-sharing systems within very tight timeframes, and often in the face of staffing and funding cutbacks.”

“It’s a case of political timetables being set which may not be realistic and which could actually be opening the door to risk. We’ve seen this at IRD and Housing NZ recently where new computer systems have been rolled out very quickly resulting in long delays for customers.”

Brenda Pilott says the PSA would welcome the independent inquiry taking a wider look at whether issues such as timeframes or resourcing, contributed in any way to the Work and Income security breach.

“Staff will be feeling devastated by this breach and will hope that a robust and transparent inquiry will help to quickly restore public confidence in the services they provide.”

ENDS

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