The ACT government has announced the termination of its Human Resources Information Management Systems (HRIMS) project.

HRIMS has been cut just a month after an extensive review criticised its shortcomings. 

The decision, contained within the territory's recently released 2023-2024 budget papers, aims to enhance existing HR and payroll solutions instead.

According to the government, the focus will shift towards improving payroll and human resource management within the ACT Public Service, while also implementing a new time and attendance system to streamline operations. 

This decision is expected to generate substantial savings of $73.8 million in operating expenses, primarily due to the discontinuation of the HRIMS initiative.

The HRIMS project had initially received significant capital funding, with $33.7 million allocated in the 2019-2020 budget, followed by an additional $6.6 million in the 2022-2023 budget. 

However, a scathing report by Yarrabee Consulting, published in May, highlighted deficiencies in project governance, lack of engagement with key stakeholders, and the absence of clear accountability for delivery.

Notably, the report also criticised the dismissal of options to update and expand the functionality of the existing HR system, Chris21, which has been in service since 2005. 

The review pointed out that the feasibility study conducted in 2017 had prematurely disregarded these options.

While the termination of the HRIMS project may come as a setback, the government says its renewed focus on system upgrades and operational efficiency demonstrates a commitment to improving HR and payroll services for the benefit of the public service.