Immigratiion CE didn't tell select committee $35m IT project had been axed

Forums › IT Pro and developers › Immigratiion CE didn't tell select committee $35m IT project had been axed

lchiu7

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#324993 23-Jun-2026 15:46

I am surprised that nobody has posted on this Govt debacle before or I missed it.

There have been subsequent revelations about the Immigration Project that failed which now allege that the current CE knew about the project and did not inform Ministers

This was the initial headline about a week ago.

https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/politics/598316/immigration-officials-deliberately-withheld-information-on-failed-technology-upgrade

where the CE said "

Blakeley said he found the review to be a "very difficult read" and was "extremely disappointed".

He acknowledged serious failings in oversight and governance and said he was prepared to undertake employment investigations depending on the findings of the Public Service Commissioner."

and now further revelations

https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/politics/616552/immigration-new-zealand-head-didn-t-tell-select-committee-35m-it-project-had-been-axed

Some Govt departments should not be allowed to run their own large IT projects and if they do, then they need much stronger governance ministerial representatives on the the steering committees. As IT professionals I am sure we all appalled at the way our tax money is being spent.

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#3505598 23-Jun-2026 17:08

It’s the fear of saying it’s not going well minster. There are several similar projects still going on.

pdh

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#3505665 24-Jun-2026 00:24

At the risk of being rude...

Can anyone remember a government IT project that went well ?

Incis comes to mind as a stand-out failure, and IT use in health care is a bad joke.

Paying teachers & healthcare people hasn't covered itself in glory.

Even the national pet microchip system needs a private alternative that works properly...

KiwiSurfer

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#3505745 24-Jun-2026 09:24

pdh:

Paying teachers & healthcare people hasn't covered itself in glory.

For what it's worth the report into Novopay was interesting reading as it's more complex than the media makes it out to be. Part of the issue there was a complex web of pay agreements going back decades which Novopay has to take into account especially for long service teachers.

I worked in the sector for seven years and every single pay error I had was traced back to school payroll staff inputting the wrong information rather than Novopay itself. Seven years every pay was correct to the nearest cent. At one point Novopay had to sort out 2 years' worth of underpayments (school fault). That pay slip was massive (basically reversal of 2 years' worth of incorrect pays and then 2 years worth of correct pays and paying out the difference) but ultimately correct down to the nearest cent.

The human factor is real unfortunately -- it can easily derail the best IT projects.

kiwi_64

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#3505748 24-Jun-2026 09:34

pdh:

At the risk of being rude...

Can anyone remember a government IT project that went well ?

To be fair, there are plenty of significantly large projects happening (and being implemented) all of the time. You tend to only hear about the disasters

IR's transformation project was significant, and relatively painless

wellygary

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#3505750 24-Jun-2026 09:50

KiwiSurfer:

Part of the issue there was a complex web of pay agreements going back decades which Novopay has to take into account especially for long service teachers.

Its exactly the same problem they are having with the "National ticketing" card, each council has a whole bunch of bespoke concessions that are offered based on different ages and criteria,

MikeAqua

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#3505769 24-Jun-2026 11:13

wellygary:

Its exactly the same problem they are having with the "National ticketing" card, each council has a whole bunch of bespoke concessions that are offered based on different ages and criteria,

This all just needs to be legislated over, and national discount percentages imposed. School kids, Gold Card holders, tertiary students, community service card holders. Assign discount percentages that applies to whatever the fare is and leave it at that. One card nationwide, unloadable to phone wallets, with nationally consistent discount for using. Local decisions should only cover routes, service procurement and default fares.

If councils are left to equivocate among themselves this is what you'll get (hyperbole, for those that isn't apparent to).

Mike

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Stu1

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#3505811 24-Jun-2026 13:43

wellygary:

KiwiSurfer:

Part of the issue there was a complex web of pay agreements going back decades which Novopay has to take into account especially for long service teachers.

Its exactly the same problem they are having with the "National ticketing" card, each council has a whole bunch of bespoke concessions that are offered based on different ages and criteria,

That’s one of the issues , the other major is the vendor . Google Cubic been some horrible implementations . Their credit risk is a massive concern . This is a recent one but you will see a trend .https://www.kqed.org/news/12085683/zero-credibility-major-clipper-outage-caused-by-cubics-failure-to-pay-att-bill

KiwiSurfer

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#3505816 24-Jun-2026 13:51

wellygary:

Its exactly the same problem they are having with the "National ticketing" card, each council has a whole bunch of bespoke concessions that are offered based on different ages and criteria,

Agreed. I believe the Netherlands's national ticketing system works because the entire system is KM-based. You pay per KM regardless of mode/location/operator/etc. I spent 3 days in the entire country and visited 3 cities -- everything (intercity trains, suburban trains, underground metro, trams, etc) were all able to be paid by a single fare card and all fares were mileage-based. May be worth doing the same here rather than try and fit in with the current fare systems which is also bespoke to be fair.

Be interesting to see how they manage it here. I presume it is possible to build a fare system for each city but I suspect it'd be much easier to just build one fare system that works everywhere. And just divvy up the fares along regional lines.

Will upset the local councils for sure but the Netherlands success seems to suggest central management is the only way to make a cohesive system that works.

gzt

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#3505818 24-Jun-2026 13:55

pdh: Can anyone remember a government IT project that went well ?

Projects that go well are of no interest.

lchiu7

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#3505831 24-Jun-2026 14:57

kiwi_64:

pdh:

At the risk of being rude...

Can anyone remember a government IT project that went well ?

To be fair, there are plenty of significantly large projects happening (and being implemented) all of the time. You tend to only hear about the disasters

IR's transformation project was significant, and relatively painless

IRD's project looked like it went well but as a user I do have complaints about their UI :-(

But while many IT projects do fail, those which are on the tax payer's dime need significantly more governance that it appears they have. That $33m could have been spent on better social housing, improved medical services etc.

I shudder to think what is going to happen when MSD has to update their system or ACC theirs :-(

Staying in Wellington. Check out my AirBnB in the Wellington CBD. https://www.airbnb.co.nz/h/wellycbd PM me and mention GZ to get a 15% discount and no AirBnB charges.

PolicyGuy

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#3505836 24-Jun-2026 15:27

This has now been referred to Parliament's Privileges Committee:

https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/politics/618957/conduct-of-mbie-officials-referred-to-parliament-s-privileges-committee

With senior members of both major parties (Erica Stanford, National and Phil Twyford, Labour) fairly steaming on this, it could be a genuinely entertaining show, too
🍿🍿🍿

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Stu1

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#3505837 24-Jun-2026 15:31

KiwiSurfer:

wellygary:

Its exactly the same problem they are having with the "National ticketing" card, each council has a whole bunch of bespoke concessions that are offered based on different ages and criteria,

Agreed. I believe the Netherlands's national ticketing system works because the entire system is KM-based. You pay per KM regardless of mode/location/operator/etc. I spent 3 days in the entire country and visited 3 cities -- everything (intercity trains, suburban trains, underground metro, trams, etc) were all able to be paid by a single fare card and all fares were mileage-based. May be worth doing the same here rather than try and fit in with the current fare systems which is also bespoke to be fair.

Be interesting to see how they manage it here. I presume it is possible to build a fare system for each city but I suspect it'd be much easier to just build one fare system that works everywhere. And just divvy up the fares along regional lines.

Will upset the local councils for sure but the Netherlands success seems to suggest central management is the only way to make a cohesive system that works.

They had some good Dutch SMEs from the Netherlands project helping. Each region can have their own fare tables . The consessions and group travel are challenging. Singapore has a good national system as well . They don’t allow concessions on open loop cards , they should be only on closed loop makes the solution a lot easier to implement. Consessions are part funded by regional council and or government which makes reconciliation difficult

wellygary

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#3505844 24-Jun-2026 15:41

PolicyGuy:

This has now been referred to Parliament's Privileges Committee:

https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/politics/618957/conduct-of-mbie-officials-referred-to-parliament-s-privileges-committee

With senior members of both major parties (Erica Stanford, National and Phil Twyford, Labour) fairly steaming on this, it could be a genuinely entertaining show, too
🍿🍿🍿

This doesn't surprise me, being untruthful before a select committee is a contempt offence, and parliament has ( although little used) quite extensive powers ..

But, its one arm of government punishing another, so its unlikely there will be much more than a very stiff bus ticket used in the end...

wellygary

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#3505849 24-Jun-2026 15:54

Stu1:

They don’t allow concessions on open loop cards , they should be only on closed loop makes the solution a lot easier to implement. Consessions are part funded by regional council and or government which makes reconciliation difficult

Agreed, Open loop for non concession fares is becoming pretty standard, some even do capping. But concessions usually require stored value or some form of registration (naturally)

I just wish they would actually get on and roll something out.

MikeAqua

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#3505896 24-Jun-2026 15:57

The Deputy CEO responsible for Immigration at the time resigned earlier this year.

Nic Blakeley became CEO in January. Prior to that, he was DCE for Labour Science and Enterprise.

Mike

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