First, the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet will strengthen its current lead role on cyber security policy and be the central point for policy issues to ensure a simplified Government policy interface for stakeholders. The Department will provide integrated oversight of the Government’s cyber security policy and implementation of this Strategy. It will also prioritise the Government’s activities against the Strategy’s national cyber security objectives.
Leadership and advocacy of this work will be driven by a new position in the Department, the Prime Minister’s Special Adviser on Cyber Security. The Special Adviser will lead the development of cyber security strategy and policy, provide clear objectives and priorities to operational agencies and oversee agencies’ implementation of those priorities. The Special Adviser will also ensure the Government is partnering effectively with Australian governments, the private sector, non governmental organisations, the research community and international partners.
Second, the Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC), better guided by whole of nation cyber security priorities, will continue to bring together the Government’s operational cyber security capabilities and build on its world renowned cyber expertise to support a broader range of organisations at the operational level. In addition, ACSC outreach will be further improved and streamlined to make it easier for the private sector to interact. Recognising that Defence, in particular the Australian Signals Directorate, does much of the heavy lifting for the Government’s role in defending Australia against malicious cyber activity, it will continue to lead the ACSC.
The ACSC will move to a new location. This will enable a more integrated partnership between the Government and its operational stakeholders, including businesses, the research and academic community and foreign partners collaborating with the ACSC.
Relocation may improve the ability of relevant ACSC agencies to quickly recruit new people and offer more flexible arrangements to continue to attract and retain a highly skilled workforce. It will enable the ACSC to accommodate new staff recruited as a result of the Strategy’s implementation.
Third, the Minister for Foreign Affairs will appoint a Cyber Ambassador to lead Australia’s international cyber effort. The Ambassador, working closely with and guided by the work of the Special Adviser on Cyber Security, will advocate for an open, free and secure internet based on our values of free speech, privacy and the rule of law. This role will include ensuring Australia has a coordinated approach to cyber capacity building in our region, continuing to advocate against state censorship of the internet and promoting our view that the opportunities provided by the internet should be available to all people.