Home Affairs collating responses to cyber security discussion paper

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An expert advisory board is reviewing submissions made to the Department of Home Affairs in response to the 2023-2030 Australian Cyber Security Strategy discussion paper.

Home Affairs received more than 280 submissions in the consultation, which closed last week. Officials will now use the responses to identify key initiatives for inclusion in the strategy.

In a statement on Monday, home affairs minister Clare O’Neil, who is also the country’s inaugural minister for cyber security, said the final strategy would identify how all parts of government must cooperate to protect Australians from cyber threats.

“The cyber threat is growing every day; as a government, we are committed to increasing Australia’s national cyber resilience and capabilities in tackling these threats, on the road to becoming a world leader in cyber security by 2030,” O’Neil said.

The strategy will inform the government’s approach to ensure national cyber security policy with the goal of making Australia “the most cyber secure nation by 2030”. It has four broad goals: a secure economy and thriving cyber ecosystem; secure and resilient critical infrastructure and government sector; sovereign and assured capability to counter cyber threats; and collaboration with neighbouring countries to lift cyber security and build a cyber resilient region.

Former Telstra CEO Andrew Penn is leading the advisory board, which will develop the strategy document. The board also includes members RAAF ​​Air Marshal Mel Hupfeld and Cyber Security Cooperative Research Centre Rachael Falk.

The board has also engaged more than 100 stakeholders to date at a range of roundtables, summits, and other consultation events across the country.

The minister reiterated her dim view of efforts the former Coalition government made to address the national threat of cybersecurity, and characterising its lagged response as a “massive shortcoming” on an issue that posed a risk to millions of Australians.

“[The] discussion paper shows the extent of community support for a bold and ambitious strategy to boost our domestic cyber industry, work with industry leaders, and tackle cyber threats,” O’Neil added.

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