Strategic Investment Group: Terms of
Reference
June 2015
Purpose
To support ICT Functional Leadership as a lever for system transformation, with particular
focus on financial levers and enablers required for sustainable management of ICT
investments at a system level.
Operating Principles
To progress issues and opportunities regarding technology investments and assets through:

Stewardship of the system – tackling persistent system issues such as funding, wall
of obsolescence, new business models, customer-centric services.

Collective impact – collectively advising on the management of the investment
envelope and shaping the investment portfolio for maximum impact.

Customer centricity – supporting agencies to work across boundaries to enhance
technology-enabled service delivery.

Integration – through ensuring that the dependencies that exist between
information, technology, investment and service are well considered and
integrated in the value proposition to deliver benefits and results.
Objectives
The Strategic Investment Group is a strategic working group to the GCIO and the ICT
Strategic Leadership Group with the following objectives:

Leading the strategy for ICT investment for the public sector

Provide advice on key financial areas and seeking pragmatic solutions for such
matters as Operational expense/Capital funds switch, sustainable funding options,
depreciation funding issues, system asset investment, cost recovery issues and use of
depreciation for system upgrades and minor enhancements v replacement.

Benefit realisation from projects and investments

Support the GCIO with the broader agency engagement helping to make ICT-enabled
change part of good business practice

Provide sound advice and recommendations to the GCIO on strategic investment,
and trade-offs, backed by evidence and agency engagement.

Ensure clarity of investments so there is transparency of whole-of-life costs including
change and implementation costs.
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
Ensure wider business engagement occurs appropriately to support buy-in for
proposals.

Create a shared vision for All of Government technology investments.

Collaborate and work with partner Groups on recommendations or proposals to the
ICT Strategic Leadership Group providing the lens of the financial impacts and
implications at a system level.

Champion, lead and practically engage with complex investment issues and
opportunities through to resolution contributing expertise and using system
processes as appropriate.
Responsibilities
The Group has general responsibilities for the following:

Identify and implement opportunities to progress system-wide transformation

Provide free and frank advice and insight to the ICT Strategic Leadership Group in
respect of matters pertinent to technology investment and opportunities

Provide collegial support and a peer network to CFO colleagues, to lead fiscal
management changes in the digital environment

Act as the fiscal experts advising on government’s strategic investment approach
for a digital technology ecosystem

Provide strategic advice on ICT projects and core systems changes from a strategic
finance perspective. This includes not only the adequacy of the financial data for
decisions to be made (including cost/benefit information and whole-of-life-cost),
but also the alignment with direction, risk, and delivery confidence to advise on the
value propositions of ICT projects

Provide advice on the financial sustainability of agency and State Sector ICT
arrangements and investments

Focus on potential solutions for funding issues covering specific projects and
system-wide investment

Ensure consideration is adequately provided over implementation of changes to
systems and business processes
Critical Success Factors

Thought leadership on what ‘good’ looks like for All of Government technology
investment

This group sets the direction for the All of Government technology investment and
then works together to accomplish it

Technology activity is business-led

GCIO is part of a supportive and collaborative group which is leading the future
state
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Governance
The Group is sponsored by the GCIO, who retains line accountability overll all aspects of the
GCIO activity other than where specific governance authority has been agreed.
The Group is chaired by Paul Helm, Chief Government Accountant (CGA), The Treasury, on
behalf of the GCIO. The CGA advises and supports the GCIO in his line accountability for
government ICT.
Meetings
The Group will meet bi-monthly and will be appropriately synchronised to support the
Strategic Leadership Group.
Some business may be conducted out of session where required.
Membership and Secretariat
Strategic Investment Group membership comprises senior officials nominated by the GCIO
who have a strong business interest in how investment in technology enables business
outcomes.
Members are normally a tier two executive or Chief Financial Officer (equivalent).
Group membership is supported by the CGA who ensures that the Strategic Investment
Group can cover both ICT Project and core ICT systems support investments - not just from a
finance perspective but also a planning, use and change dimension.
Attendance
Meeting attendance is required with delegates not permitted.
Where a member is away for a period of time their replacement may be agreed as a
substitute by the Chair.
Attendance of 5 members will constitute a quorum.
Relationship to other groups
ICT Partnership Framework: The Strategic Investment Group membership is one of four
working groups supporting the ICT Strategic Leadership Group which collectively constitute
the ICT Partnership Framework. The Strategic Investment Group will work with the other
groups to provide a mutually reinforcing and connected support function. The Strategic
Investment Group will, through its membership, maintain an overview of those governance
groups which are operating across All of Government investment to develop an overarching
view of developments and progress.
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Office of the Government Accountant: the OGA will have a wider range of interest and
influence through the finance forums to spread the information and take on board thoughts
from CFOs as to the impacts and implementation of proposed investments and funding
options.
The Treasury: the Treasury through various groups will have an interest and impact. IMAPS
and FSSM will be involved in capital investment advice and funding advice to Ministers and
will want to have a representative at the group so that a fully teamed-up approach is
adopted. Other parts of Treasury that will be involved as required are the Vote teams.
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