Treasury points computer finger at top policeman

By Eugene Bingham

WELLINGTON-Treasury officials have pointed the finger at Police Commissioner Peter Doone over the disaster-plagued Incis computer system.

But they have declined to say whether he should lose his job over the project, now expected to be $34 million over budget and three years behind schedule.

A parliamentary select committee's inquiry into the police computer system continued yesterday, with the appearence of Treasury officials to explain their part in the fiasco.

MPs grilled acting secretary Dr Peter Bushnell over whether his department has done enough to prevent the budget blowouts and to monitor the situation. He told the committee that police management of some aspects had been ineffective.

There had been problems with the project contractor, IBM, too.

"Treasury is not responsible for the management of these projects," said Dr Bushnell. "This is the responsibility of the chief executive concerned.

"The initial quarterly reporting process was, in our view, ineffective. In particular, Treasury found that reports were not completed until around three months after the end of each quarter and, until more recently, these reports appear to have been overly optimistic."

Asked by Labour MP Phil Goff if Mr Doone's job should be on the line, Dr Bushnell said: "That is not something for me to make a judgment on."

Later, Labour's police spokesman, George Hawkins, attacked Dr Bushnell.

Mr Hawkins: It seems to me you are standing in a circle and pointing the finger at each other. Who is responsible and who should go? Should Peter Doone go, or should someone in Treasury go?

Dr Bushnell: That is a bit like shooting a messenger.

Mr Hawkins: You are more than a messenger, sir. Your department had oversight, and it seems they did not fulfil that requirement very well.

Last month, when police bosses were called before the committee, they said both IBM and the police had to take responsibility for different functions.

At the same meeting, the Minister of Police, Clem Simich, defended Mr Doone.

In documents tabled yesterday, the Treasury said the cost to taxpayers could be $132.5 million, rather than the $97.8 million initially expected.

The delays and cost rises were a result of extra software and business requirements, but also problems at IBM.

Two IBM divisions had failed to progress software development, resulting in 18 months of delays.

The Treasury would not approve a project like Incis again.

"There is an industry trend now to opt for customised package of software rather than custom-build, as in the case for Incis," said Dr Bushnell.

"Further, we would expect such large-scale projects to be broken down into more discrete parts and approved individually."