June 23, 2023
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The Coalition welcomes the appointment of a cyber security co-ordinator to oversee the government’s response to major cyber incidents.
Air Marshal Darren Goldie AM CSC has a commendable record of service to Australia over a successful career in the Australian Defence Force. The Coalition offers bipartisan support as he continues this service in his new capacity as cyber co-ordinator.
In light of recent major cyber incidents and our deteriorating geostrategic circumstances, the Coalition is concerned at the Albanese government’s lack of urgency in making the appointment.
Today’s announcement follows questions from the Opposition in the Senate this week to explain the delay when Cyber Security Minister Clare O’Neil promised to have a cyber security co-ordinator in action in March this year. The delay means the co-ordinator commences duties in the height of a cyber crisis.
If the Minister had acted sooner, the co-ordinator would have been in place before the HWL Ebsworth cyber attack, which appears to be one of the most serious data breaches affecting sensitive, and potentially classified, government information.
The first task of the co-ordinator must be to get to the bottom of what government data has been lost in the HWL Ebsworth attack, the implications of the breach and how to mitigate them, and steps being taken to inform and support affected parties.
Given the Albanese government’s failure to be transparent about the nature, extent and impact of the attack, it falls to the new co-ordinator to conduct Australia’s cyber response in an open and transparent manner.
