Rowsell-Jones said IT budgets were increasing between 12 and 15 percent in 1987, compared to a 3 percent average today.

"This doesn't mean IT demands have gone away, but we are managing budgets in a mature way," he said.

"The good news is that IT is no longer seen as special; budgets are growing at the same rate as business."

Queensland's ICT assistant director general, Peter Grant, said the focus should be on improving what is already in place instead of looking for the next big thing.

"We are in the oil age, not the information age. When Canberra wants to solve a problem the usual solution is to pour concrete and burn oil by building more highways, not look at ICT solutions like telecommuting," Grant said.