Must-know ICT and government terminology

One-off spending towards acquiring an asset that will increase productivity. In the government sector, capital spending primarily refers to physical infrastructure or other major asset purchases rather than ICT projects, though there has been a move over the past decade towards reclassifying major ICT procurements as capital investments.

In the budgeting process, CapEx is generally excluded from the headline surplus or deficit figure (sometimes referred to as the Operating Result), though it still contributes to overall net debt.

A specific project or program that is funded through the government's annual budget process. Capital investments traditionally involve the acquisition or construction of physical assets such as buildings, infrastructure, or equipment, but in an ICT context they increasingly also involve the development of intangible assets such as software or intellectual property.

In the lead-up to an election, Australian federal, state and territory governments follow 'caretaker' conventions. During the caretaker period, unless responding to an emergency, governments are expected to refrain from making any significant policy decisions, senior personnel appointments, or high-value contract arrangements. There is also a higher level of scrutiny applied to public sector activities to ensure that the government is not inappropriately using public service resources to improve its electoral chances. In Australia, caretaker periods usually begin when an election is called and/or when parliament is dissolved at the end of its term or in the lead-up to an election.

New Zealand does not have a caretaker period before elections, but applies caretaker conventions after elections until the new ministry is sworn in. Caretaker conventions can also apply mid-term if the government's authority is in question (e.g. if the government has lost the confidence of the House of Representatives).

A type of wireless communication technology that uses cellular networks to enable communication between mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablets. Cellular networks are made up of a series of cells, which are small geographic areas served by a base station or cell tower. When a mobile device moves from one cell to another, the signal is handed off to the next cell tower to maintain a continuous connection. This allows mobile devices to communicate with each other and access the internet through the cellular network.

A computing model where all processing and computing resources are located in a single central location, typically in a data center or mainframe computer. In this model, all user requests and data are sent to the central location for processing and storage.

The person responsible for leading and managing a committee or board. The chair sets the agenda for meetings, ensures that meetings are conducted in an orderly manner, facilitates discussions, and ensures that decisions are made in accordance with the committee's terms of reference or the board's constitution. The chair also serves as the primary point of contact between the committee or board and the organisation or government entity to which it is accountable.

The structured approach of preparing, supporting, and helping individuals, teams, and organisations in making organisational changes. It is a process for managing and controlling the implementation of changes to an organisation's business processes, systems, or structure, with the goal of minimising disruption and ensuring that changes are smoothly integrated into the organisation.

A Chief Customer Officer (CCO) is a top-level executive responsible for overseeing an agency's customer experience strategy, initiatives, and operations. The CCO's main goal is to ensure that customers have a positive experience with the company's products or services, and that their needs and expectations are met. Their responsibilities may include customer research, customer journey mapping, customer service, and customer retention strategies.

A high-level executive responsible for leading an agency's cyber security efforts. This role typically involves overseeing the development and implementation of policies and procedures to protect an agency's digital assets, as well as managing a team of cyber security professionals. The Chief Cyber Security Officer may also be responsible for identifying and mitigating potential cyber security risks and responding to any security breaches or incidents that occur.

The Chief Data Officer (CDO) is a senior executive responsible for managing an agency's data assets and promoting their effective use. The CDO is responsible for developing and implementing the agency's data management policies, procedures, and practices to ensure that data is accurate, accessible, and secure. This includes working with agency staff to identify data needs and requirements, developing data standards and protocols, and overseeing data governance and stewardship activities.