Partners key to supporting government IT reform: report

A new report shows how tech partners with strategic smarts can support government modernisation efforts.

Australian government agencies are under increasing pressure to transition from legacy IT platforms to modern, resilient systems that provide citizen-centric digital services, according to a new OpenText report.

With significant portions of budget being spent to support ageing systems and risks to the cybersecurity posture of government entities, agencies will need to leverage industry expertise, the report noted.

“It’s not just about technology, but about enabling better outcomes for communities,” said George Harb, VP ANZ at OpenText.

“Government is actively encouraging more SME and local involvement, which is a great opportunity. Partners who offer complementary skills and collaborate will stand out,” Harb told CRN.

In particular, agencies may favour partners with proven experience in decommissioning and modernisation. The key is to go beyond just offering tender documents and understand the government’s bigger strategies.

“It’s about providing solutions that improve speed, save costs, enhance citizen experience, and protect data,” said Harb.

Major roadblocks to government IT efforts

In their efforts to modernise IT, many agencies struggle with resource constraints, business continuity concerns and compliance difficulties.

Integration with modern platforms is difficult and the accumulated technical debt, single-purpose applications and end-of-life tools represents a significant roadblock.

“These platforms are often deeply embedded in critical workflows, but they lack the flexibility, scalability, and resilience demanded in today’s digital environment,” said Sunny Bhatia, chief information and digital officer, Digital61.

Security vulnerabilities represent a fundamental threat because aging systems aren’t always patched regularly and weren’t designed for today’s threat landscape, according to the report.

“They represent a soft target for malicious actors and make compliance with frameworks like the Information Security Manual increasingly difficult,” Bhatia told CRN Australia.

“Fragmented legacy estates complicate incident response and reduce visibility — increasing the dwell time of threats. If left unaddressed, legacy IT becomes an expanding attack surface,."

Adopting new solutions requires the right enabling technologies, the report noted, stressing the importance of trusted partnerships with IT providers.

“Modernising these environments isn’t a simple lift-and-shift project — it’s a multi-year, risk-managed transformation requiring deep understanding of business processes, compliance obligations, and emerging threats,” said Bhatia.

Partnering to support government directives for new IT projects

Channel partners have an opportunity to move beyond the role of technology suppliers to become strategic enablers, the report noted. It starts with being involved in the early stages.

“Partners who help shape the requirements and get on the right panels have a chance to influence the project, not just respond to it,” said Harb.

Moving on to smaller projects with quick wins builds trust and can unlock larger projects.

“Partners who embrace this phased approach align with the government’s preference for manageable, predictable outcomes,” he said.

To provide strategic support to government IT projects, partners need to follow key directives, according to the report. They fall under four pillars:

• Support the government business case by aligning proposals with core investment drivers such as growing the economy and focusing on neglected core services.
• Support value-for-money tests that determines value by comparing the lifetime benefits (non-financial factors) to the lifetime costs (financial factors).
• Align initiatives with whole of government (WofG) directives by offering reusable components and resources.
• Offer an iterative approach to modernisation to support government preference for smaller, more manageable projects to reduce risk and speed up the delivery of benefits.

“Collaboration is crucial — working together leads to stronger, more sustainable solutions,” said Harb.

Partners also need to offer a framework-based approach, such as Zero Trust, secure cloud transformation or managed SOC services, which aligns to government mandates, and invest in certifications like IRAP to build credibility, according to Bhatia.

“Above all, demonstrate how you reduce risk while accelerating service outcomes. Modernisation is no longer about just “upgrading systems” — it’s about enabling mission outcomes in a secure and compliant way,” he ended.