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industry: magazine

Banking heavyweights splurge $250m on software
Ben Woodhead and Paul Smith
Australia's big Four banks have loaded up their books with another $250 million in deferred software costs as top- and second-tier financial services companies show few signs of making deep cuts to information technology spending.
NAB stands by $1bn systems overhaul
Ben Woodhead
Incoming National Australia Bank chief executive Cameron Clyne says the bank is still committed to a $1 billion overhaul of the computer systems that drive its operations, despite fears of technology spending cuts in the financial services sector.
Superpartners recommits to $100m IT upgrade
Ben Woodhead
Superannuation heavyweight Superpartners says it will press on with a $100 million upgrade of its core administration systems.
Bravura pays $32 million for Citigroup division
Ben Woodhead
Beleaguered financial software maker Bravura Solutions will pay $US21 million ($31.5 million) for a Citigroup information systems operation based in Warsaw, as part of a three-year outsourcing deal.
Oracle pays $150 million for RuleBurst
Chris Jenkins
United States database giant Oracle has made its first Australian acquisition, buying policy software group RuleBurst Holdings and its subsidiary Haley in a $150 million cash deal.
Woolworths evaluating its heart and soul
Chris Jenkins
Retailer Woolworths is gearing up to replace its merchandising systems, bringing its massive technology overhaul program to an area that the company's chief information officer, Dan Beecham, describes as the "heart and soul" of retail.
Reseller deal will reduce defence technology costs
Julian Bajkowski
The Defence Department has selected technology services and product seller Data#3 for a major Microsoft software licensing agreement, that in turn dictates the mark-up a host of other resellers can charge federal government departments for a range of popular products.
Police cop worst of NSW mini-budget cuts
Ben Woodhead
The NSW government has now slashed $60 million over four years from the NSW Police Force's computing and communications budget, which is among a host of measures aimed at reducing costs and increasing revenue across the state's public sector.
NSW wants 200,000 laptops for schools
Julian Bajkowski
The NSW government has turned up the heat on Canberra, asking for an extra $245 million in funding under the $1.2 billion computers-in-schools program.
Insider
Edited by Michael Crawford
Movers & shakers
All together now
Edited by Brian Corrigan
Motivations may vary but the desire to unify voice and data communications is widespread
Front of mind
David Braue
Technology must provide a seamless point-of-sale experience or customers will be lost
Local suppliers hope to escape the worst
Ben Woodhead
How quickly things change.
Accenture snares Telstra outsource deal
Ben Woodhead and Chris Jenkins
Systems integrator Accenture will take over support for new billing systems installed as part of a multibillion-dollar transformation program for Telstra, under a five-year contract believed to be worth as much as $100 million.
ANZ overhauls technology units, names managers
Chris Jenkins
A global restructure under way at ANZ Bank has brought major changes to the way the company manages its information technology operations.
Worldwide Credit crisis takes patient records off COAG agenda
Ben Woodhead
The health sector is shifting its hopes for approval of a new plan to make the health records of every Australian resident available online after the issue was pushed to the sidelines at the Council of Australian Governments meeting last month.
Computer outsourcing contracts net four big winners
Ben Woodhead
Deals inked under botched Howard government spending reforms are set to deliver more than $4.5 billion in revenue to just four companies, courtesy of a near doubling of federal technology services costs in the past 10 years.
$50 million for Rio's first foray into outsourcing
Ben Woodhead
Rio Tinto has finalised a $50 million software services contract with India's Infosys Technologies as it makes the first of what could be a number of forays into outsourcing.
Contract losses raise questions on Unisys West
Ben Woodhead
The joint venture information technology project between BankWest and multinational outsourcer Unisys has warned of an ongoing slide in revenue after the loss of two key outsourcing contracts
Coles stocking systems remain months from launch
Ben Woodhead
Wesfarmers has confessed to further delays in implementing costly computer systems developed as part of a nearly $800 million information technology and supply-chain revamp of its Coles division.