Mal Grierson discusses the IT services that grew in individual departments, noting that the people were from departments but the equipment was from CITEC. He notes the infrastructure that was held at the CITEC offices, including the first State Library of Queensland computer. He notes that once computers became smaller then the infrastructure began to reside with the individual departments.
Mal Grierson describes the transition from working at CITEC to becoming a Deputy Director General. He notes that CITEC was largely removed from many other government departments and that he rarely met with his boss, the Deputy Treasurer; and neither did he meet ministers in this time. He discusses working with Justice Minister Bill Knox and John Greenwood Minister for Survey and Evaluation. He notes that computer technology was not high on Joh Bjelke-Petersen's political agenda.
Mal Grierson discusses the evolution of the Treasury EDP branch to becoming CITEC. He notes the work of Ken Pope who was brought out in the late 1950s from the UK to help the introduction of computers into the public service. He notes that at the time of his appointment to the State Government Computer Centre it was Leo Hielscher who noticed the cost of computers to government. He notes that by the 1970s it was realised that computers were going to be significant for the public service and Treasury took control of it.
Mal Grierson describes his appointment as the head of the Treasury Electronic Data Processing (EDP) branch, now known as CITEC, by Leo Hielscher without consulting his minister. He outlines the interface between the public service and political process, and notes that at the time IT was a very specialised field that few in cabinet would have knowledge of. He discusses the backgrounds of those in cabinet and their relationship to his field of expertise.
Mal Grierson discusses the employment prospects at the time when computer technology was being taken up into many industries. He notes the number of recruitment campaigns from various companies including the federal government. He reflects on these experiences as a highly skilled young public servant and how that influenced his approach to maintaining staff as a Director General or Deputy Director General. He notes the importance of giving young employees opportunities for promotion.
