Govt appoints advisory panel for Cyber Security Strategy

The federal government has established a new industry advisory committee to help guide the implementation of its Cyber Security Strategy 2020.

The Industry Advisory Committee will provide advice to government through regular meetings and report directly to the Minister for Home Affairs, Peter Dutton.

The committee will be chaired by Telstra CEO Andy Penn, fresh off his tint as chair of the industry advisory panel that shaped the development of the new strategy. AUCloud Chair Cathie Reid will serve as Deputy Chair.

The new committee also has two other industry advisory panel members — NBN Co CSO Darren Kane and Northrop Grumman Australia CEO Chris Deeble.

Joining these experts on the panel will be Cyber Security CRC CEO Rachael Falk, Macquarie Telecom CEO David Tudehope and FibreSense Chairman Bevan Slattery.

Rounding out the list are PwC Australia Trust and Risk Business Leader Corinne Best, NAB Group Executive for Technology and Enterprise Operations Patrick Wright and Professor Stephen Smith, Chair of the Advisory Board of the University of Western Australia Public Policy Institute.

“The 2020 Cyber Security Strategy is firmly focused on protecting families and businesses, especially as they spend more time online, both at home and in their workplaces,” Minister for Home Affairs Peter Dutton said.

“The Committee brings a wealth of experience from both the public and private sector that will build on the success of the Industry Advisory Panel and ensure industry will continue playing a vital formative role in shaping the delivery of actions set out in the Strategy.”

Telstra’s Penn said the work of the committee will be essential in light of the key role connected technologies are expected to play in Australia’s post-COVID recovery.

“While our lives are increasingly connected by digital technologies, more abundant and better resourced cybercriminals and cyber-activists and increasingly sophisticated and emboldened state actors mean Australia is quite literally under constant cyber attack,” he said.

“Meeting that challenge requires Australia’s cyber defences to be strong, adaptive and built around a strategic framework that is coordinated, integrated and capable — the 2020 Cyber Security Strategy provides that framework. It is hard to imagine a more important piece of work and I am very proud to have been appointed chairman of the expert Industry Advisory Committee that will help bring it to life.”

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