NSW Court IT blunder

This isn’t a surprise. I’ve heard a lot of stories about inept government departments using inept, and corrupt suppliers who overcharge and underperform. I’d be interested to see the specification documents for this project just to see how big it really is.

THE NSW Government ignored warnings about potential risks associated with a computer network linking the state’s courts and ordered an unproven version of a system that is set to cost taxpayers an extra $3.3 million due to blow-outs and delays.Leaked government documents show that NSW rejected a system in use in Queensland and instead bought one that had been developed by failed software company LawNow Ltd. Work on the computer network, which is now known as Courtlink, has been under way for five years and is not expected to be complete until next year.Consultant James Ryan, through his company Equanimity Consultants, had been working on information technology issues for the department for just a few months.

His letter of resignation says: “There is a clear perception in the businesses with whom I have met that we have not been fair in the allocation of business and that favouritism has been shown.”

 At that stage, Mr Glanfield said the original estimated cost of the system was $41.5 million and the current estimated cost was $44.8 million.

Source: Australian IT

MP uses taxpayers money to bone teenage boys

If this MP is guilty, not only is it wasteful - it’s criminal.

Sacked NSW government minister Milton Orkopoulos used taxpayer funds to repeatedly pay a teenage boy for sex, a court has been told.

In explosive allegations aired in Newcastle Local Court, Orkopoulos was accused by police of sexually abusing two teenage boys and supplying them with drugs between 1997 and 2005.

[snip]

The bulk of the charges relate to one teenager, who was 15 when he was first allegedly abused by Orkopoulos.

The four remaining charges are based on a second teenager whom Orkopoulos unsuccessfully propositioned for sex.

Police allege the principal victim was paid about $250 per week by Orkopoulos for sexual favours by the time he was aged 18.

So if we do the math on that: $250 for say 50 weeks a year (hey, even perverts get annual leave, right?) for 3 years – that’s $37, 500 of our money gone up some poor kids’ bum. Hopefully some fat guy named “Tiny” will repay the favour if old Milty gets convincted.

Source: The Age