Bill Shorten (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme) Share this | Hansard source

The new revelations in today's media are concerning. Since last week, I've ascertained the following: four contracts were issued to Infosys, to a total value of $274 million, to upgrade payment software in human services. It's called the ECE project. It's still going.

The timeline for ECE is as follows: 2 October 2018, ECE tender opens; three companies, including Infosys, shortlisted. 29 May 2019, member for Fadden appointed Minister for Human Services and NDIS. 26 June 2019, leaked emails reveal minister meets Infosys and his good friend David Milo, a paid consultant to Infosys, in Sydney. 2 July 2019, the final evaluation submitted, negotiations as to value and period of contract continue for another four months. 8 November 2019, Infosys is finally awarded contract for the first of four contracts valued at $18 million. 19 November 2019, minister meets Infosys. 30 December 2019, minister meets friend Milo at the Gold Coast, triggers an email from Milo saying 'minister gave insights on progress of Infosys and future opportunities'. 1 February 2020, minister is guest speaker at Infosys conference at Melbourne Park on the afternoon of the Australian Open finals. 1 July 2020, Infosys awarded a further $142 million contract. At the same time, wheels start to come off the project. It has to be overhauled, and one of the unsuccessful tenderers is called in to resuscitate the project.

In light of these facts and other materials from the Synergy 360 papers, I've asked agencies a range of questions, including: did the former minister ever alert the department he was meeting Synergy 360 and/or Infosys up to and after its successful bid? Were unsuccessful rival ECE bidders, IBM and Accenture, ever notified of the member for Fadden's meetings with an Infosys consultant? What, if any, were communications between the minister or other persons in his personal office and Services Australia and the department about the progress of the ECE contract pre and post Infosys being awarded the contract? Were the status reports of the ECE project provided at least monthly to Minister Robert and any of his personal staff? What if any contracts were awarded to Synergy 360 clients in areas of responsibility of Minister Roberts, including, but not limited to, Delv, Adobe, Infosys and Salesforce?

Finally, I remind members of parliament and the member for Fadden, after an unfortunate development this morning: please come through my office if you have any requests of the relevant agencies. Do not do what you did this morning, and inappropriately task and pressure public servants, who are no longer your ministerial responsibility.

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