Skip to main content

Site navigation

  • University of Technology Sydney home
  • Home

    Home
  • For students

  • For industry

  • Research

Explore

  • Courses
  • Events
  • News
  • Stories
  • People

For you

  • Libraryarrow_right_alt
  • Staffarrow_right_alt
  • Alumniarrow_right_alt
  • Current studentsarrow_right_alt
  • Study at UTS

    • arrow_right_alt Find a course
    • arrow_right_alt Course areas
    • arrow_right_alt Undergraduate students
    • arrow_right_alt Postgraduate students
    • arrow_right_alt Research Masters and PhD
    • arrow_right_alt Online study and short courses
  • Student information

    • arrow_right_alt Current students
    • arrow_right_alt New UTS students
    • arrow_right_alt Graduates (Alumni)
    • arrow_right_alt High school students
    • arrow_right_alt Indigenous students
    • arrow_right_alt International students
  • Admissions

    • arrow_right_alt How to apply
    • arrow_right_alt Entry pathways
    • arrow_right_alt Eligibility
arrow_right_altVisit our hub for students

For you

  • Libraryarrow_right_alt
  • Staffarrow_right_alt
  • Alumniarrow_right_alt
  • Current studentsarrow_right_alt

POPULAR LINKS

  • Apply for a coursearrow_right_alt
  • Current studentsarrow_right_alt
  • Scholarshipsarrow_right_alt
  • Featured industries

    • arrow_right_alt Agriculture and food
    • arrow_right_alt Defence and space
    • arrow_right_alt Energy and transport
    • arrow_right_alt Government and policy
    • arrow_right_alt Health and medical
    • arrow_right_alt Corporate training
  • Explore

    • arrow_right_alt Tech Central
    • arrow_right_alt Case studies
    • arrow_right_alt Research
arrow_right_altVisit our hub for industry

For you

  • Libraryarrow_right_alt
  • Staffarrow_right_alt
  • Alumniarrow_right_alt
  • Current studentsarrow_right_alt

POPULAR LINKS

  • Find a UTS expertarrow_right_alt
  • Partner with usarrow_right_alt
  • Explore

    • arrow_right_alt Explore our research
    • arrow_right_alt Research centres and institutes
    • arrow_right_alt Graduate research
    • arrow_right_alt Research partnerships
arrow_right_altVisit our hub for research

For you

  • Libraryarrow_right_alt
  • Staffarrow_right_alt
  • Alumniarrow_right_alt
  • Current studentsarrow_right_alt

POPULAR LINKS

  • Find a UTS expertarrow_right_alt
  • Research centres and institutesarrow_right_alt
  • University of Technology Sydney home
Explore the University of Technology Sydney
Category Filters:
University of Technology Sydney home University of Technology Sydney home
  1. home
  2. arrow_forward_ios ... Newsroom
  3. arrow_forward_ios ... 2017
  4. arrow_forward_ios 05
  5. arrow_forward_ios UTS:CLG Graduate Paper Series: Information and Communication Technology Change and Adoption in Local Government: A New South Wales Exploratory Study

UTS:CLG Graduate Paper Series: Information and Communication Technology Change and Adoption in Local Government: A New South Wales Exploratory Study

22 May 2017

Information and communication technology

The final part of the eight-part UTS:CLG Graduate Paper Series is Anthony O'Reilly's dissertation:

Information and Communication Technology Change and Adoption in Local Government: A New South Wales Exploratory Study

Anthony O'Reilly
The information and communication technology (ICT) processes and systems of local government are essential to perform the services, both statutory and discretionary, expected and desired by the communities in which local government organisations operate. A study carried out by Anthony O’Reilly explored the history of ICT as it has evolved in local governments across the world, including a review of the Australian experience. On a continuum from more provider-centric to more community-centric, he identified three levels of ICT utilisation, namely:
  • e-government – the use of the internet and ICT more broadly to electronically empower governments to provide information and services to a diverse range of stakeholders
  • t-government – further development of e-government to focus upon cost saving and service improvement through back-office and information technology change that aim to design services around the citizen and not the provider
  • e-democracy – the utilisation of ICT for the purpose of enhancing a country’s democratic processes and empowering its citizens.

The research aimed to critically assess the adoption and utilisation of ICT in NSW councils and derive learnings from two questions:

  1. What is the imperative which underpins the decision or consideration of a change to a council’s information technology software base?
  2. Where do NSW council’s sit in comparison to the world regarding a consideration and possible movement to e-government, t-government and e-democracy?

A group of purposively sampled NSW local government ICT staff (ranging from executive level to managerial and support staff) were interviewed to understand where this State was positioned with regard to the three levels of ICT utilisation, including its position from a global perspective. Interviewees were also asked to discuss the imperatives which underpin their considerations of a change to their councils’ software base. Data were also gathered from those councils’ strategic documents, including any operational plans available from their websites or obtained on the basis of direct request.

The study found that the councils achieve good levels of e-government and t-government, but seemed to focus not as much on e-democracy as is evident in other countries. This raised the question as to whether local government can or should seize the opportunity to transcend an ‘efficiency-only’ focus and achieve a platform of operation which supports and enhances a community’s democratic process i.e. a move towards e-democracy. This would serve to enhance the more community-centric role for ICT.

In conclusion, Anthony suggests that ‘the question is a large one which brought into frame a further question as to the role of local government in Australia relative to the other levels of State and Federal from a ‘democracy’ view.’

More

Read the full dissertation: Information and Communication Technology Change and Adoption in Local Government: A New South Wales Exploratory Study 

UTS:CLG Graduate Paper Series:

  • Part 1 of the UTS:CLG Graduate Paper Series: It’s all in the delivery: An exploratory case study focusing on the Coffs Harbour City Council Delivery Program 2010-2016
  • Part 2 of the UTS:CLG Graduate Paper Series: The Challenges of Engaging Communities: Will the Small Rural Voices Be Heard in a Merged Regional Council? 
  • Part 3 of the UTS:CLG Graduate Paper Series: Urban Design Principles for Creating Public Open Space Master Plans and Their Application to Wagga Wagga’s Riverside Precinct
  • Part 4 of the UTS:CLG Graduate Paper Series: Australian Local Government Botanic Gardens' Contribution to Global Plant Conservation  
  • Part 5 of the UTS:CLG Graduate Paper Series: 21-Year Partnership – Has It Made A Difference? Evaluating the Fairfield Health Partnership
  • Part 6 of the UTS:CLG Graduate Paper Series: Managing Trees in the Public Domain
  • Part 7 of the UTS:CLG Graduate Paper Series: Investigating Ethical Paradigms and Values: Potential Influences on Decision-Making by Elected Representatives

     

 

Share
Share this on Facebook Share this on Twitter Share this on LinkedIn
Back to Archived News

Acknowledgement of Country

UTS acknowledges the Gadigal People of the Eora Nation and the Boorooberongal People of the Dharug Nation upon whose ancestral lands our campuses now stand. We would also like to pay respect to the Elders both past and present, acknowledging them as the traditional custodians of knowledge for these lands. 

University of Technology Sydney

City Campus

15 Broadway, Ultimo, NSW 2007

Get in touch with UTS

Follow us

  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
  • Facebook

A member of

  • Australian Technology Network
Use arrow keys to navigate within each column of links. Press Tab to move between columns.

Study

  • Find a course
  • Undergraduate
  • Postgraduate
  • How to apply
  • Scholarships and prizes
  • International students
  • Campus maps
  • Accommodation

Engage

  • Find an expert
  • Industry
  • News
  • Events
  • Experience UTS
  • Research
  • Stories
  • Alumni

About

  • Who we are
  • Faculties
  • Learning and teaching
  • Sustainability
  • Initiatives
  • Equity, diversity and inclusion
  • Campus and locations
  • Awards and rankings
  • UTS governance

Staff and students

  • Current students
  • Help and support
  • Library
  • Policies
  • StaffConnect
  • Working at UTS
  • UTS Handbook
  • Contact us
  • Copyright © 2025
  • ABN: 77 257 686 961
  • CRICOS provider number: 00099F
  • TEQSA provider number: PRV12060
  • TEQSA category: Australian University
  • Privacy
  • Copyright
  • Disclaimer
  • Accessibility