NSW Department of Corrective Services IM&T division executive director, Wayne Ruckley is currently engaged in a far-reaching ICT renewal program. Ruckley said central to this is a closer working relationship with business.

"We need to transition our plans to business outcomes; we have a strong conviction that we want to become business experts, not just IT experts," he said.

"To do this we have to look beyond our organizational boundaries and that includes outsourcing, but as part of this process we are being very open and transparent with the unions. We see an ongoing role for our own staff, for contractors, for consultants as well as outsourcing providers."

In recent years, Ruckley said the department has outsourced data center management as well as application support and maintenance.

"But there are still risks, you cannot outsource ultimate responsibility," he said adding that there are specific areas more suited to specialist outsourced providers.