SolsticeIT, who was engaged to conduct this review, thanks all the sellers, industry bodies, Commonwealth agencies, State and Territory agencies, international jurisdictions, Australian industry more broadly and the DTA for their contributions to the findings in this report. A full list of stakeholders consulted can be found at Appendix H: Stakeholders consulted.
SolsticeIT acknowledges the traditional custodians of the Country where we live and work. We pay our respects to Elders of past, present and emerging and acknowledge the connections and contribution to land, sea and community.
Disclaimer
The materials presented in this report reflect SolsticeIT’s best judgment given available information at the time of preparation.
The assessment undertaken does not constitute an audit under the Australian Auditing Standards.
SolsticeIT, who was engaged to conduct this review, thanks all the sellers, industry bodies, Commonwealth agencies, State and Territory agencies, international jurisdictions, Australian industry more broadly and the DTA for their contributions to the findings in this report. A full list of stakeholders consulted can be found at Appendix H: Stakeholders consulted.
SolsticeIT acknowledges the traditional custodians of the Country where we live and work. We pay our respects to Elders of past, present and emerging and acknowledge the connections and contribution to land, sea and community.
Disclaimer
The materials presented in this report reflect SolsticeIT’s best judgment given available information at the time of preparation.
The assessment undertaken does not constitute an audit under the Australian Auditing Standards.
This appendix contains information on digital projects under central oversight and assurance through the DTA Assurance Framework for Digital & ICT Investments. The IOF guides government’s digital investments across 6 interconnected states: Strategic planning; Prioritisation; Contestability; Assurance; Sourcing; and Operations. The DTA provides advice and assurance on these projects including in our role administering the Assurance Framework for Digital and ICT Investments, which governs the Assurance state of the IOF.
These appendices are presented as a set of tables, with a dataset available for download in both .xlsx and .csv formats. The tables include details on active projects, as well as projects that concluded assurance oversight since the Major Digital Projects Report 2025.
This appendix does not include:
projects not subject to the Assurance Framework
projects sustaining existing digital capability, which are not subject to the Assurance Framework
recently funded projects yet to formally commence or enter assurance oversight
projects led by agencies in the Australian Intelligence Community as well as the Department of Defence – these projects are subject to other assurance and oversight processes overseen by either the Office of National Intelligence or the Department of Defence.
Withheld project data
In a small number of cases, project data has been withheld at the request of lead agencies. Data is only withheld in exceptional circumstances where release would be prejudicial to the national interest and/or commercial negotiations. This includes in situations where releasing project budget information would compromise an agency’s ability to achieve a value for money outcome in negotiations with commercial delivery partners. These are denoted as ‘NFP’ (not for publication) in the portfolio tables in the appendix.
Data collection and further enquiries
The DTA works closely with each Senior Responsible Official to validate data and monitor progress for every project. We coordinate reporting across government to promote transparency to ministers and the Australian community.
However, given the potential for commercial sensitivities to arise, especially when agencies are remediating project challenges, all project-specific enquiries should be directed to the relevant agency.
Explanation of table column headers
The portfolio tables in the appendix includes the following column headers.
Column header descriptions
Column header
Description
Project name and description
The name of the project as advised by the lead agency and a high-level description of the project, including:
what it intends to deliver
whether the project has been subject to the Assurance Framework's escalation protocols.
DCAs
The delivery confidence for the project as reported:
Where a delivery confidence is not included for 2024 or 2025, this means a project was not required to report for the purposes of the February 2024 or March 2025 report – for example, because the project had not yet commenced.
Delivery status
The delivery status of the project for the purposes of this February 2026 report.
Total budget ($ million)
The total budget (including both digital and non-digital budget components). Numbers are rounded to one decimal place.
Digital budget ($ million)
The portion of total budget devoted to the design, development, implementation, deployment, sustainment and testing of digital and ICT capability. Numbers are rounded to one decimal place.
Project timeline
The date the project commenced to the project end date. For active projects, this is the expected end date of the project as advised by the lead agency. For projects that have concluded assurance oversight, this is the actual end date of the project as advised by the lead agency.
Key for delivery confidence
Delivery confidence is an assessment of a project’s overall trajectory to deliver on intended outcomes and benefits. A lower delivery confidence rating signals there are issues or risks that need to be addressed. However, a low rating does not necessarily mean a project will fail. Instead, it is an early warning, allowing for timely interventions to support the project team in mitigating risks and overcoming challenges.
The DTA plays a crucial role in this process. By working closely with agencies, we help to ensure that the right measures are taken if delivery confidence decreases. This involves providing guidance, resources and support to project teams, helping them make the best use of assurance processes, and promoting strategies to address emerging issues. This collaborative effort aims to improve the likelihood of successful project delivery, so that investments provide expected benefits to Australians and businesses.
Delivery confidence assessments are based on independent assurance assessments since the release of the last data on the digital project portfolio. Where an independent assessment is not available, the delivery confidence assessment is provided by the lead agency (self-assessment).
Rating
Description
High
Successful delivery of the investment to time, cost, quality standards and benefits realisation appears highly likely and there are no major outstanding issues that at this stage appear to threaten delivery significantly.
Medium-High
Successful delivery of the investment to time, cost, quality standards and benefits realisation appears probable however constant attention will be needed to ensure risks do not become major issues threatening delivery.
Medium
Successful delivery of the investment against budget, schedule, scope and benefits, appears feasible but significant issues already exist, requiring management attention. These appear resolvable at this stage and, if addressed promptly, should not present a cost/schedule overrun or loss/delay of benefits.
Medium-Low
Successful delivery of the investment requires urgent action to address major risks or issues in several key areas. Changes to budget, schedule, scope or benefits may be necessary if the investment is to be delivered successfully.
Low
Successful delivery of the investment requires changes to budget, schedule, scope or benefits. There are major issues with investment definition, schedule, budget, quality and/or benefits delivery, which do not appear to be manageable or resolvable without such changes being made.
Not reported
Delivery confidence was not reported by the lead agency.
NFP
Not for publication
Key for project tiers
There are 3 possible tier ratings for digital projects, with higher tiered projects subject to increased levels of central monitoring and oversight.
Tier 1
Tier 1 investments represent the Australian Government’s most complex and strategically significant digital or ICT investments, responsible for transforming the experience of people and business and realising the APS enterprise view by improving the efficiency and effectiveness of government operations.
Tier 2
Tier 2 investments are usually complex and strategically significant digital or ICT investments but may not have the same whole-of-government emphasis or the same criticality to the digital agenda as Tier 1 investments or, if they do, they are of lower estimated total cost.
Tier 3
Tier 3 investments are significant digital or ICT investments. They are likely focused on meeting the needs of one agency or, sometimes, a small group of agencies. They generally represent lower risk.
This report provides a window into how these projects are performing – the systems they are improving, the data they are protecting, and the wider benefits they are delivering across all sectors of the economy.
It also outlines how reforms being led from the centre of government are ensuring every project has the best chance of success. While worthwhile, digital projects won’t always go smoothly, and these reforms are ensuring the public service is ready to meet the challenges they present.
CEO foreword
Chris Fechner Chief Executive Officer Digital Transformation Agency
It is my pleasure to share with you the third public report on the delivery confidence of the Australian Government’s biggest and most strategically important digital projects.
Every day, Australians use digital technology to access essential services, connect with government, and manage both work and life. With rapid advances – especially in areas like artificial intelligence – government services are evolving at pace. These emerging technologies are now at the heart of how the Australian Public Service (APS) delivers outcomes for people, businesses and communities right across the country.
At the Digital Transformation Agency (DTA), our role is to enable agencies to succeed. We’re here to help plan and deliver digital projects that are robust, strategically aligned to national priorities, and designed to deliver real benefits for all Australians.
This year’s report underscores the tangible progress made in delivering digital projects for Australians.
Every major project now has an assessment of delivery confidence, and the vast majority are tracking well – a testament to the transparent oversight and support we’ve put in place. At the same time, the findings are candid about where we can do better. Some projects are still grappling with tight timelines and capability gaps.
This honesty is vital: it shows us exactly where to focus our energy next. By addressing these challenges, boosting our planning rigor, and accelerating efforts to build digital skills across the APS, we’ll ensure the pipeline of new projects starts strong and that every project, big or small, has the best chance to succeed. In short, we celebrate how far we’ve come, but remain firmly focused on the work ahead.
With a commitment to continuous improvement, we are confident about seizing the benefits of digital transformation for all Australians while navigating the complexities with responsibility and resolve.
Questions for consideration
What needs or goals motivate users to engage digitally?
Have we gathered feedback or analytics to understand user needs?
How might we customise the user experience to resonate with diverse user needs?
Have we addressed digital barriers causing users to seek alternate service delivery channels?
Have you considered how others have overcome similar issues across government?
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Executive summary
The Major Digital Projects Report 2026 provides a snapshot of how Australia's biggest government digital projects are performing, including their benefits to the public and the challenges they face. It covers 103 projects across 43 agencies, representing over $9.7 billion of investment including $5.9 billion in digital technologies (Note 1). The report finds that these projects are delivering positive outcomes for Australians – improving government services, protecting data and modernising critical systems – but that some projects are encountering significant risks and challenges that threaten on-time, on-budget delivery.
Stronger oversight and improvement
All Tier 1 and Tier 2 projects (Note 2) now report delivery confidence assessments, and most are on track, with 60.0% rated Medium-High or High (Note 3). While the share of projects in these top confidence bands is unchanged from last year, they now account for 69.5% of total investment (up from 52.9% in 2025). Tier 1 has improved most: 74.2% of Tier 1 investment is in Medium-High or High confidence projects (up from 39.4% in 2025), while the average budget of lower-confidence Tier 1 projects has halved, from $256.0 million to $137.9 million. In effect, delivery risk has migrated to smaller investments, which are more agile to remediate – strengthening overall resilience of the government's digital portfolio.
Risks and pressures
Despite recent improvements in overall delivery confidence, there are emerging short-term pressures. One-third of projects reporting a Medium or lower delivery confidence have a planned completion date within the next 6 months. This reflects a heightened risk profile associated with compressed delivery timelines, resource constraints, and the complexity in the final stages of project integration and closure. Projects at this stage of implementation are more susceptible to schedule slippage and quality risks, particularly where dependencies and residual issues converge late in the delivery cycle.
Common delivery challenges
This report identifies a pattern of recurring challenges typically faced by troubled projects. Most struggling projects are dealing with multiple issues at once.
Weak project management practices and maturing governance arrangements were identified as the most common root causes. When these foundations are not strong, they tend to trigger or amplify other delivery issues, resulting in changes or complexity in project scope, budget pressures because of scope changes, capability gaps and difficulty tracking resources, tight timelines, and technical obstacles.
These challenges often impact on each other. In fact, projects with Medium or lower delivery confidences are routinely managing 3 or more of these problem areas at once. It is not unusual for issues to worsen before they improve, especially in complex technical undertakings. However, identifying these risk factors early allows for targeted interventions to help projects get back on track.
The table summarises these key challenges and why they matter.
Common delivery challenges and the impact they have on projects
Challenge
Impact on projects
Project management maturity
Strong planning, governance and risk management are essential to prevent cascading issues across the project lifecycle.
Scope complexities
Unclear or evolving project requirements make it hard to define success and control timelines.
Budget pressures
Budget constraints or cost overruns strain resources and can force scope cuts or delays.
Resourcing constraints
Constrained resources can make it difficult to secure staff with the right capabilities and effectively track resourcing.
Tight timelines
Unrealistically short deadlines increase pressure, leaving little room to address issues without delay.
Technical issues
Complex engineering problems or system integration hurdles can halt progress until solved.
Key figures
Government investment in digital projects to benefit Australians
Key figures: image described
This chart breaks down the government investment in digital projects to benefit Australians in 2026.
Investments are spread over 43 agencies.
$9.7 billion in total project budget.
$5.9 billion in digital budget.
103 active projects:
19 Tier 1 projects
42 Tier 2 projects
42 Tier 3 projects.
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This chart breaks down the government investment in digital projects to benefit Australians in 2026.
Investments are spread over 43 agencies.
$9.7 billion in total project budget.
$5.9 billion in digital budget.
103 active projects:
19 Tier 1 projects
42 Tier 2 projects
42 Tier 3 projects.
Every Tier 1 and Tier 2 project is now assessed for delivery confidence
The increase in reporting delivery confidence since 2024 is not a short-term spike, but a sustained improvement that reflects a commitment to embedding assurance as a core part of digital project governance. This also ensures Australians know where their investments stand.
Figure 1: 2025 and 2026 Tier 1 and Tier 2 projects with a delivery confidence rating.
Figure 2: 2025 and 2026 Tier 1 and Tier 2 projects with an independent delivery confidence rating against those with a self-assessment of their delivery confidence rating.
Figure 3: 2025 and 2026 Tier 1 and Tier 2 projects reporting a medium-high or above delivery confidence rating.
Figure 4: 2025 and 2026 Tier 1 and Tier 2 projects reporting a medium-high or above delivery confidence rating.
Report overview
This report features 103 of the Australian Government’s most complex and strategically significant digital projects, involving a total investment of $9.7 billion (Note 4)
To be included in this report, a project must:
primarily rely on digital technologies to achieve its aims
have been assigned a ‘tier’ rating, reflecting that it is a ‘major’ project sufficiently complex and strategically significant to require central oversight by the DTA.
There are 3 possible tier ratings for digital projects, with higher tiered projects subject to increased levels of central monitoring and oversight:
Tier 1 projects are the Australian Government’s most complex and strategically significant digital projects.
Tier 2 projects are also complex and strategically significant, but with smaller scope, lower criticality and/or lower cost than Tier 1 projects.
Tier 3 projects are significant investments that generally represent lower risk.
While this report includes most high-profile projects, it does not cover all projects. For example, some projects are not sufficiently complex or strategically significant to receive a tier rating. Others have only recently been funded and will feature in future reports.
Projects are harnessing technology to provide essential digital capabilities and services
Projects are diverse and range in total budget from $2.5 million to more than $726.0 million, and in duration from 10 months to nearly 13 years. The average project has a total budget of $98.5 million and a duration of 3.8 years. Another perspective is looking at the midpoint of this range, with a median total budget of $32.7 million and a median duration of 3.3 years.
Figure 5: Percentage of total budgets related to digital technologies.
For the projects in this report, on average nearly three-quarters of the total project budget relates directly to digital technologies, with the remaining going to non-digital spending. This is consistent with project budgets in the Major Digital Projects Report 2025. The lowest percentage of digital spending by total budget is 7.2% and the highest is 100%.
Figure 6: Breakdown of active projects by sector.
Connect with the digital community
Share, build or learn digital experience and skills with training and events, and collaborate with peers across government.
