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Compliance for Council and suppliers

NSW's Hurstville City Council is using 'The Year 2000 Business Risk Analysis Handbook' prepared by the State Government to guide its actions in minimising risks to services on the turn of the century.

Council has established an internal Year 2000 Committee to investigate and analyse the problems involved.

This project not only involves analysis of Council's equipment and systems, but also contacting key suppliers and service providers to ascertain the Year 2000 position of these organisations.

At Council, all services and systems which have a potential for being affected by the Y2K bug will be incorporated into risk assessments being undertaken.

It has already been ascertained that Council's main computer hardware is Year 2000 compliant and the vendor of Council's main application software has assured Hurstville that this is already year 2000 compliant.

The Software's User Forum has also established its own Special Interest Group to independently test the software for compliance on behalf of members, saving individual Councils from each having to test the product separately.

Y2K Coordinator Peter Jackson said the main area of concern to Council is the compliance of other parties involved in the operations of Council. He said while Council may be compliant, if a supplier is not or has problems, there could be serious effects on important and vital business operation of Council.

"We have over 3,000 organisations which supply or otherwise influence Council operations," he said.

"We have narrowed the potential risk down to a possible 400 -500 which could impact on us if they are not compliant.

"We are now on track investigating all of these to ensure they are compliant. If we find any which are not ready for the Year 2000, we will be looking to find alternative means of supply."

For further information contact Peter Jackson, telephone (02) 9330 6222.

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