Council awards contract for upgrade of core business systems

Council has appointed TechnologyOne Ltd to upgrade its enterprise business systems used to deliver critical functions such as customer service, online customer portal, asset management, property rating, planning, local laws, records management, budgeting and staff management.

Cardinia Shire Mayor Councillor Brett Owen said a review of Council’s existing enterprise business systems in 2024 identified a need to strengthen security, improve efficiency and address risks to support long-term sustainability and better meet the needs of a rapidly growing shire.

“The transformation of Council’s business systems is essential to delivering modern, efficient and future ready services for our growing community,” Mayor Owen said.

“By replacing outdated systems with an integrated, cloud-based platform, Council will be able to streamline operations, improve the customer experience, strengthen cybersecurity, and provide the technological foundation needed for long-term organisational sustainability and to respond to legislative and service requirements.”

A total of $32 million has been budgeted over the next four years to fully implement the project.

 

Frequently asked questions

1. What services rely on Council’s core business systems?  

• Customer Requests and Customer Management 
• Property and Rating 
• Planning, Building, Local Laws, Animal Management  
• Asset Management  
• Financial Management, debtors, billing and receipting  
• Supply Chain Management  
• Project and Contract Management  
• Corporate Planning, Reporting and Governance  
• Human Resources  
• Payroll  
• Records Management and mapping  

2. Why is an upgrade to core business systems necessary at this time? 

A 2024 review of Council’s core enterprise business systems found that the current software is no longer fit for purpose and identified several critical issues that must be addressed to maintain effective service delivery.  

These include:  

• Inconsistent customer experience  
• Operational inefficiencies 
• Higher service delivery costs 
• Data integrity challenges 
• Cybersecurity, privacy and compliance risks 
• Limited flexibility and scalability 
• End‑of‑life systems 

The review, presented to and endorsed by Council in April 2025, confirmed and quantified these gaps and risks which have been highlighted in internal audits and operational assessments in recent years. Upgrading now ensures Council can deliver secure and reliable services into the future. 
 

3. Why does it cost $32 million to upgrade these business systems? 
Upgrading Council’s core business systems is a significant, multi-year investment because it involves replacing multiple outdated systems with a single, modern, integrated, cloud-based platform that can support both current operations and the needs of a rapidly growing community. 

For these systems to function effectively, each system must work reliably on its own and integrate seamlessly with others systems across the business. 

The investment of $32 million is spread over four years and reflects the scale and complexity of upgrading the systems that underpin almost all of Council’s operations and legislative responsibilities. This cost is consistent with expenditure at other Councils. 
 

4. Is this a one-off cost?  

Implementation costs are spread over 4 financial years.  

$2mil – FY 25/26 

$10mil – FY 26/27 

$10mil – FY 27/28 

$10mil - FY 28/29  

Post implementation, yearly fees are included within the IT operational budget for ongoing management. 
 

5. How does this investment align with Council’s long‑term financial planning and sustainability goals? 

Investment in digital transformation is one of the strategic actions outlined in Council’s Long Term Financial Plan (LTFP). Better systems will enable Council to help achieve its LTFP objectives in the following ways: 

Improved asset management 

Council manages a large and complex asset portfolio. A contemporary Enterprise System will support more efficient and effective asset management by enabling: 

• Real-time tracking of asset performance 
• Better forecasting of renewal needs 
• Improved asset lifecycle costing 
• Consistent data across departments for more efficient asset management 

Reduced cyber-security risk 

Strengthening our cyber-security resilience supports the LTFP by reducing the likelihood and cost of cyber incidents. 

Outdated systems can make Council more vulnerable to cyber attacks, whereas modern Enterprise Systems come with significantly stronger security features, ongoing updates and improved protection against data breaches. 

The total recommended awarded contract amount is within current budget allocation and remains part of the capital works program for the implementation component. 
 

6. Why is this project being prioritised ahead of other infrastructure needs such as roads, parks or community facilities? 

The detailed review carried out in 2024 confirmed that these systems can no longer support Council’s operational needs or the requirements of a rapidly growing community 

Upgrading Council’s core business systems now is a critical investment because the current platforms are outdated and carry significant risks to service quality, cybersecurity and long‑term sustainability if they were to continue. 

By not addressing these risks, Council would face increasing service inefficiencies, rising IT maintenance costs and compliance risks that could hinder Council’s ability to deliver essential services. 

By prioritising this upgrade now, Council is ensuring that the systems underpinning almost all its operations are secure, efficient and capable of supporting the Shire’s exponential growth. 
 

7. How will the upgraded system improve customer service for residents and businesses? 

The upgraded system will make it easier for residents and businesses to interact with Council and get timely support. As a result, the community can expect: 

Faster responses and fewer delays 

The new system will streamline many of Council’s back-end processes. By reducing manual paperwork and simplifying how information is handled, staff will be able to respond to requests more quickly and consistently. 

More convenient online services 

As our community continues to grow, more people are choosing to access Council services online. The upgraded system will support better digital services, enabling residents and businesses to submit requests more easily, track progress online and access information when they need it. 

More accurate and up-to-date information 

A modern system will help ensure staff have the right information to assist with requests, providing a more reliable service experience for customers. 

Stronger protection of personal information 

The upgrade will also improve cyber-security. Newer technology includes stronger security features and regular updates to help protect residents’ and businesses’ data from cyber risks. 
 

8. What was the process for awarding the tender to TechnologyOne?  

The tender was created in consultation with subject matter experts within Council and an external consultant, Corporate Strategic Systems (CSS), who has extensive experience in assisting councils in this process. Council invited submissions for both a single integrated platform and multi‑system platforms to ensure a competitive evaluation process. 

TechnologyOne was selected as the preferred provider based on their proven performance and position as Australia’s leading enterprise SaaS provider for local government.  

The contract was formally awarded at the Council meeting held Monday 16 March 2026.  

 

9. Where can I view the business case?

The Summary Business Systems Replacement Business Case is available in the Council agenda here: Council meetings – agendas and minutes | Cardinia Shire Council

 

10. Why didn’t Council choose an off‑the‑shelf system? 

While there are many off‑the‑shelf systems available for individual business functions such as finance, human resources or customer contact, local government has a much more complex and unique mix of services than most organisations. 

Council delivers a wide range of services that must work together and very few software products are designed to support all of these services in an integrated way. Using multiple off‑the‑shelf systems would have required extensive customisation and ongoing manual work to connect them, increasing cost, complexity and risk over time. 

The enterprise system selected is purpose‑built for Australian local government. It provides an integrated platform that supports Council’s full range of services, complies with legislative requirements, and allows information to be shared safely and efficiently across the organisation. 

This approach reduces duplication, improves customer service, and ensures Council has a system that can grow and adapt as community needs change.