Mal Grierson details the challenge that education in computer technologies posed to the typical promotion structure of the public service and how the Public Service Board introduced an annual review process. He notes that after obtaining his economics degree he gained a higher promotion. To him this showed a trend towards valuing the individual skills of employees in the public sector.
Mal Grierson describes the mixed reactions around the public sector towards computer technology introductions. He discusses the regimented system of promotions that the public service worked under in his early years, however, computer skills posed a challenge to this structure.
Mal Grierson discusses the areas where the department thought that computers would be useful: financial and records management. What they did not envisage was the telecommunications aspects that would transform IT. He notes the two categories of people that were recruited into IT by the Queensland Government: young bright people who had done well on aptitude tests but the supervisors were drawn primarily from auditor general's staff.
Mal Grierson states that he became head of science and technology in the early 1980s where he remained until the Goss Government came to power in 1989. He notes the evolution of the division from a small computer branch for the Treasury to being in charge of all IT services for Queensland public service departments. He comments on the approach to the computer revolution by the Queensland government, in particular its early placement in the Treasury Department. He recalls a conversation with Ken Pope, the head of the department regarding this issue.
Lesley Clark describes her time as a parliamentary secretary in Health and then in Premier and Cabinet. She discusses the Smart Women, Smart State Strategy. She also discusses some of the local issues she was involved with, such as land zoning and environmental issues. She talks about the difficulties associated with dealing with public disenchantment.
