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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, Second Session (54-2)
2021-02-16 Daily Xml
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Cybersecurity

Mr MURRAY (Davenport) (15:05): My question is directed to the Minister for Innovation and Skills. I ask the minister whether he could update the house on how the Marshall Liberal government is keeping South Australia safe and strong and protecting South Australian businesses from cyber attacks?

The Hon. D.G. PISONI (Unley—Minister for Innovation and Skills) (15:06): Thank you very much, sir, and I thank—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. D.G. PISONI: —the member for Davenport for his question. Of course, cybersecurity affects so many businesses every day. The Australian Cyber Collaboration Centre was launched by the Premier in July last year. Since then, they have developed seven training courses and 140 students have gone through those training courses. There have been 34 events, with 700 attendees.

I certainly remember one event where Adelaide businesses were explaining what they had to go through to recover from a cyber attack that happened to them. It will surprise many in this place to learn that it is a 24-hour, day after day after day project in order to recover from such a situation. It costs multiple millions of dollars, so it's important that we have a cybersecurity centre here in South Australia to protect our South Australian businesses.

The Australian Cyber Collaboration Centre has also developed the cyber risk executive program. It is designed to educate senior executives about cyber risk and to provide advice that results in greater investment in cybersecurity. The first cohort of executives will complete the pilot program at the end of this month. A new fit-out of a portion of the ground floor of the Eleanor Harrald Building will house startup cybersecurity entrepreneurs and businesses to further establish South Australia as a leader in cybersecurity.

The centre commenced the cybersecurity test range formal accreditation process by the Defence Vetting and Security Service to complete the services that we are offering. The South Australian cybersecurity capability will be further strengthened by developing and implementing a cyber industry action plan, growing our state's reputation as a cybersecurity centre of excellence, not just for the protection of businesses but also for training the skills that we need in those jobs for cybersecurity, those staff required to manage the cybersecurity businesses and to work for those companies that are supporting businesses in their cybersecurity protection.

We are creating high-value and high-growth jobs and protecting South Australian innovation precincts, businesses and research organisations through increased best practice in cybersecurity technology—that is what we are doing here in South Australia. The development of a cyber industry action plan is an important initiative under the Marshall government's Growth State Hi-Tech Sector Plan 2030. There is a very strong focus on technology in that growth sector and, of course it goes without saying, a very strong focus on cybersecurity. We must protect what we own here. We must protect our IP and we must protect our industries.

AustCyber plays a crucial role in building a globally competitive industry by providing support to individual companies across the digital economy. AustCyber is a not-for-profit national organisation that yesterday announced its merger with Stone and Chalk, based here at Lot Fourteen. That merger of the two organisations will strengthen South Australia's position nationally for key tech innovation and startups right here in South Australia.

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