ICT PROCUREMENT

Ms CHAPMAN (Bragg—Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (14:57): My question is also to the Treasurer. Why did the South Australian Housing Trust ICT program, known as Maintenance Works Systems, fail and, according to the Auditor-General, has cost us to date $4.7 million? Does this failure reflect systemic problems in the government's ICT procurement program?

The Hon. K.O. FOLEY (Port Adelaide—Deputy Premier, Treasurer, Minister for Industry and Trade, Minister for Federal/State Relations) (14:57): I am not familiar with that. As my colleague reminds me, we are actually saving $30 million a year on ICT procurement as against—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Mr Williams interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, member for MacKillop!

Mr Venning interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, member for Schubert! The Treasurer has the call.

The Hon. K.O. FOLEY: There is $30 million in ICT savings locked in from the benchmark or the baseline of the former EDS contract. We are substantially delivering a cost-saving benefit to the taxpayer on the new procurement we are doing with ICT projects.

I also come back to the earlier question about RISTEC. I have had it confirmed by my office. About $19 million a year of extra revenue will be taken in once RISTEC is fully operational, so its payback is very quick. That is a good investment, albeit a little more expensive than one might have hoped initially. However, its payback is very rapid indeed.