Handley tipped for CTO job

Stuff reports:

It is now an “open secret” that entrepreneur Derek Handley was about to be announced as the country’s first chief technology officer last week.

After his secret meeting with the Minister which was hidden from staff and officials, and not even disclosed to written parliamentary questions.

It may be unfair to Handley, but appointing him after that will be a very very bad look for the Government.

As CTO, Handley would have a potentially highly influential role in charting a digital future for the country which could touch on a wide range of government initiatives.

Creating the role – which comes with a salary of up to $400,000 and a $100,000 travel budget – was the flagship of Labour’s ICT policy before the election.

But it is one that is still vaguely defined and there are different views as to what the job should be or whether it should even exist.

$400,000 for a vaguely defined job, that you get after a secret meeting with the Minister.