Mission 3
Underpin trust in government through reliable, stable digital services and sustainable Digital Infrastructure.
Our goals
We want our communities to trust that their information and interactions with the NSW Government services are secure. As digital plays an increasing role in our daily lives, privacy is an important concern. Our goal is to give people control over their information and offer choices in how people access government services. Digital Infrastructure includes physical assets (such as data centres) and virtual technologies (such as cloud) that support the NSW economy. We aim to reduce the environmental impact of our Digital Infrastructure to align with the NSW Government’s Net Zero by 2050 goal.⁵ To maintain the security of our systems and deliver personalised services, we’ll continue to modernise ICT systems, address legacy and enhance the state’s Digital Infrastructure through industry and academic partnerships.
To strengthen and maintain community trust, we will:
3A: Collect and use data in a responsible, open and transparent way
3B: Enable safe and secure information sharing through modern Digital Infrastructure
3C: Reduce legacy technology and duplication of digital solutions
3D: Address environmental sustainability goals through digital services
How we'll get there
3A: Collect and use data in a responsible, open and transparent way
The NSW Government deals with an incredible volume of data and it’s our responsibility to safely manage and store it.
In 2022-23, there were over 158 million visits to the Service NSW app, 2.55 million physical licences and cards issued and 4.5 million NSW Digital Driver Licence downloads.²
We must treat data as an asset by being transparent in how we capture, maintain and retire data. To support this, we will find ways to drive greater interoperability between NSW Government agencies and industry.
For example, the NSW Digital ID is creating a single, trusted digital identity that government agencies and businesses can use to identify individuals. It’s underpinned by cutting-edge technology that prioritises the privacy and security of the user. Not only will this save customers from having to provide personal information for each transaction, with each organisation, it reduces the amount of personal information shared.
By reusing data, we improve its accuracy as it becomes a single source of truth. This reduces the risk of data duplication and makes it easier for people to interact with government services. This reuse enables us to continue to improve government products and services, providing a more personalised experience.
29: Release an updated NSW Data Strategy that reflects changes in the data landscape since 2021
30: Deliver the NSW contribution to the National Disability Data Asset (NDDA)
31: Enable a consistent approach to asset management including Crown Lands through a common platform
- Developing principles and policy to acknowledge and respect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples data sovereignty and governance. This includes the right of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to govern the creation, collection, ownership and application of their data. It’s vital that data on or about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples reflect their priorities, values, cultures, worldviews and diversity.
- Collaborating with government agencies to solve complex problems using the NSW Data Analytics Centre.
- Providing an integrated view of a patient’s care within the NSW Health system through the Single Digital Patient Record program. This transformational health program provides real-time access to medical records and empowers clinical teams to make informed decisions faster. This will streamline processes and reduce the administrative burden on staff.
- Improving awareness of basic privacy fundamentals amongst agencies and customers, fostering community engagement and promoting personal data protection through Privacy Awareness Week.
3B: Enable safe and secure information sharing through modern Digital Infrastructure
Digital Infrastructure refers to technology that enables the functioning of digital systems and services like networks, servers and databases. It’s essential for supporting the operation of the physical infrastructure of NSW including bridges, roads and transport.
Secure, modern and resilient Digital Infrastructure is crucial to protecting personal information and providing services to the community. It is fundamental to building spaces that are flexible, connected, reliable and future-proof. For example, a stadium with modern Digital Infrastructure like sensors and internet connectivity provides a better experience for people and can be critical to sharing information in an emergency.
The NSW Government will develop and improve both digital and physical infrastructure to ensure the safety and security of our communities, and we’ll create more ways for people to easily access and control their information.
36: Update NSW Cloud Policy
37: Drive shared services reform to support reliable and stable government services through development of a roadmap
- Embedding Digital Infrastructure in what we build by implementing Digital Infrastructure Requirements to make sure we’re creating smart, place-based solutions for the urban environment.
- Upgrading the digital and physical infrastructure of public spaces such as Penrith Stadium to improve the community experience.
- Creating powerful collaboration tools under the Live NSW Program. NSW has developed the capabilities of the Spatial Collaboration Portal and the NSW Spatial Digital Twin so all levels of government, communities and industry can better access and share spatial data and services.
- Managing physical infrastructure using Asset AI, which uses real-time data, sensors and cameras to collect data and provide insights. This helps find and fix problems on the roads more quickly, making them safer for road users and pedestrians.
- Supporting the connectivity needs of the community, government agencies and emergency services by using the Digital Connectivity Principles when building government-funded infrastructure.
- Transforming the building lifecycle to ensure NSW produces trustworthy residential buildings with the eConstruction Program.
3C: Reduce legacy technology and duplication of digital solutions
Legacy technology refers to outdated ICT systems that no longer serve their intended purpose. These systems can often become expensive, inefficient or difficult to maintain.
The NSW Government is committed to improving our operations and driving productivity by addressing the use of legacy technology. To help achieve this, we need to establish critical digital platforms for reuse across government, which we define as State Digital Assets (SDAs).
SDAs are digital platforms, services and data that can be used by more than one NSW Government agency to solve common problems. This enables NSW agencies to reduce duplication, easily collaborate and coordinate, and share information such as proof of identification and credentials. By reducing legacy technology, we can more efficiently deliver personalised and seamless services to our communities as well as reduce costs to government.
32: Baseline NSW legacy technology and make recommendations for reducing it over time
33: Identify high-risk legacy systems and platforms critical to the delivery of NSW Government services
34: Trial a State Digital Asset led approach to replacing Transport legacy technology through the Regstar Program
35: Continue to identify and promote reuse of State Digital Assets across government
39: Transform the digital system that underpins land valuations to improve the customer experience
- Promoting the reuse of strategic digital solutions across the NSW Government with the State Digital Assets Reuse Policy. This policy aims to reduce duplication, improve efficiencies and deliver more seamless government services. Solutions include core capabilities such as digital identity, verifiable credentials, payments and connectivity.
- Collaborating sector-wide on a framework to baseline NSW legacy technology and recommend an approach to address challenges and risks posed by legacy systems which can impact public safety, security and health.
- Building coordinated cloud infrastructure with the Australian National Data Integration Infrastructure (ANDII) to support the development of data sharing assets such as the National Disability Data Asset (NDDA).
- Completing Licence NSW to replace the previous licensing platform which is approaching end of operating life. Work is underway to transfer an additional 80 licences to the new platform over the next three years, improving how people apply for, register and renew their licences.
- Upgrading Opal ticketing systems with Opal Next Generation to improve trip planning, payment and information access for NSW passengers.
3D: Address environmental sustainability goals through digital services
The way we build and use technology has an impact on our physical environment. For example, data centres that store and manage data and computing require large amounts of energy.
The NSW Government aims to reduce its impact on the environment by adopting sustainable practices and activities. This will support the Climate Change (Net Zero Future) Act 2023 and our goal of achieving net zero emissions by 2050. We’ll improve energy efficiency by aligning to policies such as the Government Resource Efficiency Policy (GREP) and embed principles of the circular economy to support responsible production, usage and disposal of equipment.
By using tools to monitor sustainability metrics and modern technology, we can better plan and manage our environmental impact.
38: Support NSW Government progress towards net zero and climate change targets through delivery of fit-for-purpose digital tools including for risk analysis, monitoring, evaluation and reporting
55: Maintain data centre emissions within targets
57: Digitalise the Certificate of Completed Electrical Works (CCEW)
58: Develop a digital portal for installers of energy saving technologies to improve standards compliance.
- Maintaining a 4.5-star NABERS rating for our Government Data Centres (GovDC) and targeting further improvements in energy and water usage.
- Tracking emissions in an open-source, cloud-based and scalable format by piloting the carbonZero Accelerator tool with selected government agencies and councils.
- Driving net zero emissions by 2050 and other sustainability targets with the Sustainability data and metrics hub.
- Developing new solutions to reduce carbon emissions by offering grants for Clean Technology Innovation that invest in researchers, innovators and entrepreneurs.
- Leveraging modern technology to make water compliance more efficient and addressing critical water data access and quality challenges with the Water Administration Ministerial Corporation Digital Business Improvement Strategies.
- Reducing water use and improving water efficiency with Smart Places Water Insights.
- Improving water efficiency and creating cooler outdoor environments using Smart Irrigation Management for Parks and Cool Towns (SIMPaCT).
- Monitoring and reporting the NSW Government’s progress on its emissions, net zero and sustainability targets using the Zero Emissions Platform.
Make digital services accessible, inclusive and connected for everyone in NSW
Use digital to improve service delivery, support the local economy and drive productivity
Keep NSW safe and resilient during emergencies online and in-person
Uplift digital capability in the public sector workforce