June 27, 2022
Winning the race on artificial intelligence and quantum computing will deliver a strategic advantage similar to the atomic bomb, according to the Opposition’s cyber security spokesman, who says the AUKUS pact is Australia’s ticket to victory.
Senator James Paterson says that the Albanese government must work with the US and Britain to fast-track Australia’s access to their technological advancements for cyber warfare.
“If totalitarian states, authoritarian governments, win the race on AI or quantum computing, that will be like winning the race to get the bomb in the 20th century,” Senator Paterson said.
In a wide-ranging interview about his new shadow ministry, which also includes countering foreign interference, Senator Paterson blasted the new government for dismantling Home Affairs by shifting key agencies out of the security super-department.
He acknowledged changes were needed to the foreign influence transparency scheme implemented by the former government, and vowed to focus more on protecting diaspora communities from the tentacles of foreign powers.
Speaking to the Herald Sun, the Victorian Liberal senator said it was crucial Labor took advantage “of the opportunities we’ve left them”, including activating critical infrastructure laws, using new sanctions to target cyber criminals, and tapping into the AUKUS agreement beyond acquiring nuclear submarines.
“These things are on the shelf and ready to go, and had we been re-elected, we would have been making the most of it so I want to make sure they make the most of it,” Senator Paterson said.
But he said it was a “crazy decision” for Labor to reverse the Coalition’s reforms that moved the Australian Federal Police (AFP), the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission and financial crimes watchdog AUSTRAC from the Attorney-General’s portfolio to Home Affairs.
“It’s either driven by ideology or it’s a power grab ... but we don’t know because they haven’t publicly articulated their rationale,” Senator Paterson said.
He said that the AFP needed to work with ASIO on foreign interference and counter-terrorism.
Senator Paterson said too many organisations and people linked to overseas powers had “fallen through the cracks” of Australia’s foreign influence register, and that changes needed to be considered.
He said the powerful parliamentary intelligence and security committee – which he used to chair – was “almost at breaking point” and needed greater resources.
