A ministerial inquiry – one of five measures taken by the government to fix the troubled teachers payroll system – will cost $500,000.
Minister with responsibility for Novopay Steven Joyce says the cost will be met from Ministry of Education’s baselines. The draft terms of reference for the review will be consulted with the sector in the coming days and is expected to be completed by the end of May.
The inquiry will be undertaken by the former chief executive of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, Sir Maarten Wevers and chairman of Deloitte New Zealand, Murray Jack.
“Sir Maarten is a highly experienced and well respected former member of the public service. He has wide public recognition with a strong reputation for independence, trust and integrity, which make him an ideal person to be involved in this ministerial inquiry,” says Joyce.
“Murray Jack has extensive experience in reviewing and advising on issues relating to major information technology systems, including the review of security breaches in the Ministry of Social Development’s self-service kiosks. He is also leading the technical review of the stability of the Novopay system and the data contained in it. It makes practical sense for him to be involved in both the technical review and the ministerial inquiry.”
Joyce says following the inquiry he will ask the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment to work with Treasury, the State Services Commission and the government chief information officer to provide Cabinet with advice about contracting arrangements in the wider state sector.