The AEC is replacing the payroll system for its giant temporary election workforce. 

The Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) says it needs a new system to compensate the more than 100,000 temporary workers employed during federal elections.

The payroll system replacement is part of the ‘Indigo’ modernisation program, which  will ultimately replace 93 systems over seven years.

“Funding has been allocated to decommission the legacy AEC Pay (payroll) system and to replace it with a new TEW payroll management capability solution," the agency said in a tender published last week.

“This modernisation is critical as the existing system is overly dependent on bespoke applications and vendor support, with escalating sustainment costs.

“The AEC’s bespoke legacy systems are in a position where upgrading them is unsustainable and retention of the licenses does not represent value for money.

“The temporary election workforce is paid on a weekly basis.

“During the 2022 federal event, more than 190,000 payslips were produced with a weekly payslip range from 10 to over 97,000.”

The commission is seeking a software-as-a-service payroll system to replace the existing system.