The launch of the Perth Joint Cyber Security Centre (JCSC) will play a major role in the Turnbull Government’s commitment to keeping Australians safe from cyber-attacks.
The new Perth centre, part of the Turnbull Government’s $47 million JCSC program, has been launched by the Attorney-General, Christian Porter, is the first of its kind in the west. It offers critical support to Australia’s business community, particularly the west’s vast energy and resource sector.
“The resources that come from Western Australia are the lifeblood of the economy and represent a significant portion of our gross domestic product,” the Attorney-General said.
“If a cyber-attack were to affect one of our major resource corporations, there could be significant impacts to Australia.
“The JCSC is a critical hub for business and government to improve their cyber security practices and share information in a trusted and secure environment.”
Designed in collaboration with key industry partners, the centre brings together cyber security experts from sectors including mining, agriculture, natural resources, the defence industry and infrastructure.
These experts share information on the latest cyber threats and security challenges and focus on supporting Australia’s national cyber security capabilities.
“The Perth Joint Cyber Security Centre represents an important milestone in expanding our national cyber security footprint” the Attorney-General said.
“In a state where the tyranny of distance means business is often conducted from remote and isolated locations, the need to protect our business networks is even more crucial.
“Cyber security threats are always evolving, so we need to ensure we have a whole range of strategies in place to protect our digital borders and be on the offensive against cyber-attacks. This centre will play a key role for government and industry to work together towards this critical objective.”
The Joint Cyber Security Centres are part of the Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC) and are funded through the Government’s 2016 Cyber Security Strategy.
The Perth JCSC is the fourth state based centre to open, joining Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney. Another centre in Adelaide will open later this year.
Throughout the rest of 2018, the centre will hold a series of workshops and events that address strategic and technical issues within the cyber space.
For more information about the JCSC program and how to become a member visit: https://www.cert.gov.au/jcsc/
For more information about the Australian Government’s 2016 Cyber Security Strategy initiative visit: https://cybersecuritystrategy.pmc.gov.au/
