Tasmania has announced its Cyber Security Strategy for 2024–28, focusing on a safe, trusted, and resilient digital future. This strategy is designed to address the evolving digital landscape by embedding a robust cyber security culture across the state’s government services. At the heart of the initiative are three guiding principles: ensuring the wellbeing and prosperity of Tasmanians, fostering clear communication between the community and the government, and positioning security as a key enabler of trust in digital services. Minister for Innovation, Science, and the Digital Economy, Madeleine Ogilvie, emphasized that this strategy will enhance cyber governance and fortify defences for the state’s most critical services.
The strategy outlines 11 essential actions to achieve its goals of establishing Tasmania as a leader in cyber security, ensuring security is embedded in government services, and fostering partnerships to increase resilience. These actions include improving governance and response to modern threats, enhancing the readiness of cyber security tools, and boosting the visibility of risks. Additionally, the strategy aims to safeguard critical systems and data, develop strong partnerships throughout the government’s value chain, and create pathways for growing a pool of local cyber security talent to address the increasing demand for professionals in the field.
A key component of the strategy is the government’s call to encourage young people to consider careers in information and communication technology (ICT), specifically in cyber security. Minister Ogilvie highlighted the benefits that a move to the digital frontier will bring to Tasmania, but also acknowledged the risks posed by global crime syndicates and malicious state actors. The strategy aims to prepare the state for these future challenges by developing strong, multi-layered defences and collaborating with educational institutions and industries to create a local talent pipeline.
Tyson Wienker, head of the ICT School at the University of Tasmania (UTAS), emphasized that the prosperity of Tasmania depends on securing the data of its citizens and businesses. He stressed the importance of ICT graduates, particularly in fields like cyber security and artificial intelligence, in safeguarding Tasmania’s future. UTAS plays a critical role in equipping students with the necessary skills, offering diverse and rewarding career opportunities in these essential areas.
