Challenge

In 2007 the Department announced that it would move all paper based MCV applications to their online Visa processing platform by 2009 to reduce costs associated with managing paper based applications and improve application approval times for the Shipping Industry. This required the Department to significantly change the existing paper based application processing business model and amend the legislative framework to support the introduction of electronic applications while implementing major changes to its Visa processing systems. Due to the large scale of application process the Department does it would be necessary to develop a solution that could process around 15,000 applications per month on top the existing processing volumes for the range of Visa that the department processes in its online systems and engage broadly with a wide range of stakeholders from Industry, Federal and State government agencies and Visa applicants.

Approach

Managed the implementation of the NPP funded program across three project streams including policy and legislation, business change and ICT systems delivery. Had oversight of approximately 40 specialist staff including contractors and APS staff and directly managed the core program team of six staff including project managers, project administrator, business analysts, and enterprise architects to develop and deliver the solution. Chaired the cross agency Inter-departmental steering committee (IDC) and several interagency meetings with Customs, AGD and Centrelink to ensure that program objectives were communicated and external agencies were collaboratively engaged in the implementation and transition. Represented the program in senior executive forums and sponsored the technology solution through the architectural governance process in the Department which included a number of major updates to existing architectural patterns to drive the realisation of a number of the Department’s strategic ICT objectives. Delivered significant changes to existing ICT systems include major infrastructure upgrades, new network connectivity to external agencies, upgrades to the existing eBusiness platforms including standardising on the use of Java to help scale the existing platform for increased traffic and transaction volumes.

Outcomes and benefits

• Delivered online portal for MCV visa applications which allowed the Department to discontinue paper applications

• Reduced the cost and improved compliance of MCV applications through the implementation of new technology capability

• Introduced new legislation to support the MCV implementation