(Project Management Using Public-Private Partnerships) The Background The New Electronic Voting program for Australian citizens is expected to greatly improve the accessibility for people to vote using online technology. The purpose of an electronic vote is so that any registered voter can cast their vote from the comfort of their own home using technology which is already widely in use. Previous versions of electronic voting have been described as inappropriate because they are subject to election fraud. The biggest challenge with e-voting to date has been that any trusted system needs to guarantee a verifiable audit trial that can satisfy voters that an electronic system can be trusted against computer malfunction, interference, and fraud. In 2023 the Government of Australia is determined to create a system of voting that allows for e-voting in the Referendum using a cost-effective method of voting technology using existing security and authentication processes that are proven as reliable. The role of the banks: This project looks to use existing online banking technology because over 85% of Australians use online banking and trust it for the purpose of looking after their money. This level of trust demonstrates reliability and shows that online banking systems are capable of meeting the security and privacy requirements of individual Australian citizens. It is proposed that the next Federal Australian election will partner with the Big 4 Banks in Australia (Commonwealth Bank, N.A.B., Westpac Bank, and ANZ Bank). The Challenge: Despite the desire for e-voting in referendums, there are many systems-based, and IT-related issues that have prevented the roll-out of an effective reliable e-voting system. This project has an aspirational objective. It is the concept of Australians casting a vote in the same way that they use an app on a mobile phone. So far in Australia this idea has eluded IT project managers. The search is on for a project management team who can propose and document a project that can revolutionize the way in which Australia can perform a referendum government using a reliable system of e-voting. The Task Your group has been chosen to put forward a proposal to Project Manage an important piece of Critical Infrastructure in Australia. This is a project in the form of an e-voting system for a referendum. You are to prepare a set of project documents that includes a written report on the current state of election usage and acceptance of E-Voting, and that extends to the use of electronic voting for referendums. This project has three parts. The first is a thorough report about the challenges, issues and requirements for successful electronic referendum voting. The second is a presentation outlining a proposed solution to an E-Voting referendum rollout, and the risks of doing this. The third part consists of a written project proposal that details the specific development and roll-out of the referendum project with the following brief aims and objectives: 1.Implement an e-voting referendum system that uses existing mobile app banking software to guarantee each user the opportunity to cast a vote on a mobile device (or from a desktop home computer) 2.The system must incorporate verification and authentication that satisfies a users integrity, and allows each individual the opportunity to vote once (and only once). 3.The system is to be developed as a public - private partnership between the Federal Australian public service and the 4 Big Banks of Australia (Commonwealth Bank, N.A.B., Westpac, and ANZ Bank). 4.The Banks are to be involved both jointly and severally. 5.The Government authorities involved include the Australian Electoral Commission, the Department of Finance & Deregulation, Austrac, & the Australian Federal Police. 6.The project must assume compulsory voting and must comply with the Commonwealth Electoral Act. 7.The Project has two budgetary constraints. The first is that the overall budget for the project is $400 million. The second is that within that overall figure of $400 million each bank will receive the amount of $10 for each valid voter that uses their online referendum system to cast their vote. Banks are therefore responsible to ensure that they encourage users to vote (and only vote once). 8.The Project is required to be fully operational in time for a proposed Federal election on the 30th of December 2023. Thus, you should prepare your proposal on the basis of a 3 month project with a time-critical functional hand-over that allows for a federal election at the end of 2023. 9.The project must allow for people to use the referendum voting system as part of a decentralized voting application. Unlike previous elections there will be no designated polling booths for people to vote at. Instead, users should use their own BYOD approach. People who do not have access to such technology are encouraged to vote at one of the nations Big 4 bank branches, or to use a public library on the day.