Victoria’s Department of Families, Fairness and Housing is set to transform its IT systems via a $106 million transformation program over the next three years, emerging as a key beneficiary of the latest state budget.
The 2026-27 state budget, handed down Tuesday, also invests in technology systems used by emergency services agencies, including Victoria Police, and in school IT.
The $105.9 million to “communities and families” transformation is the single largest IT investment detailed in the budget papers.
The government said in a statement that the transformation is part of a “$126 million [allocation] to modernise the digital systems that support services for at-risk children, young people and families.”
“This includes funding to design the future case management system for child protection,” it said.
Describing the specific communities and families IT transformation, the budget states it will allow “a phased modernisation of … digital systems”.
“The initial phase funded in this budget will replace the integrated reports and information system, establish the technology foundations needed to strengthen core case‑management functions, and design the future case management system for child protection cases,” it wrote.
Additionally noteworthy in the 2026-27 budget is funding for a number of Victoria Police and emergency services technology projects.
There is $14 million over four years to “equip specialist police with 3000 mobile devices and upgrade Victoria Police evidence-recording equipment.”
“This will improve access to critical information in the field and support reliable interview recording and stronger evidence for investigations to help keep the community safe,” the budget papers state.
Victoria Police will receive an additional $25.9 million in assets and $15 million in opex for a refresh of IT infrastructure and stronger cyber security “to protect sensitive information and support frontline operations.”
Meanwhile, Fire Rescue Victoria is in line for $27 million for an upgrade of its staffing and payroll information system, and $67.5 million is to be invested in upgrading the state’s triple zero telephony system.
The full list of technology projects to receive funding is:
$105.9 million for the communities and families IT transformation program
$67.5 million to upgrade Victoria’s Triple Zero telephony system
$40.9 million in total for a police information technology refresh
$37 million for the safer digital healthcare program 2026-27 “to maintain strong cyber security measures for Victorian public health services and Ambulance Victoria.” It covers “ongoing security monitoring and recovery capability in the event of a cyber incident” and a refresh of critical network infrastructure.
$36.8 million to upgrade Victoria Police’s information system used to regulate firearms, weapons and the private security industry.
$27 million to upgrade Fire Rescue Victoria’s human resources information system
$17.2 million to the Department of Education to migrate IT infrastructure from an existing data centre to the cloud.
$15.2 million “to migrate schools operating their own technology platforms to equivalent centrally provided technology platforms operated by the Department of Education, helping to reduce cyber security technology risks.”
$14 million for 3000 mobile devices and upgrades to Victoria Police evidence-recording equipment.
$10 million over two years that includes the replacement of “various public transport network telecommunication assets”, as well as some non-tech spending such as graffiti removal.
$6.9 million to finish a “program delivery business case” for a new heavy rail digital signalling system.
$5 million to Service Victoria “to deliver new products and services” and to the Department of Government Services “to ensure that the public service can safely harness emerging technology trends through the establishment of an AI advisory committee.”
$3.7 million to replace the Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority’s state register with a modern, integrated regulatory IT platform.
$3.2 million over two years for the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action to “design and implement a framework for data centre investment and risk management to ensure energy security and reliability as well as to minimise the impacts on energy prices for households and businesses”.
$2.4 million to Victoria Police “to replace and connect digital forensic storage, backup and disaster recovery as well as renewing existing software licences, supporting Victoria Police to prevent, detect, and investigate crime.”
