On 24 March 2023, Tim Slattery, Malcolm Dick and Marina Maydanov attended The Inaugural Cyber and Infrastructure Security (CIS) Conference 2023 in Sydney. The CIS Conference was hosted by the Cyber and Infrastructure Security Centre (CISC) of the Department of Home Affairs (DHA). More than 500 industry delegates attended this inaugural invitation-only event.
Following the opening address by Michael Pezzullo AO, the Secretary of the DHA, the event featured international and domestic guest speakers from government and industry, panel Q&A, and a live exercise that focused on risk management.
The main objectives of the conference were to build up knowledge, expand professional network, and give critical infrastructure entities the tools and techniques to champion organisational security and resilience.
One of the main takeaways from the conference came from Hamish Hansford – 10 key points for government and industry to consider as we all go about protecting Australia’s critical infrastructure and cyber security:
- Critical infrastructure will increasingly be at the heart of our national life.
- Government and the public will always have a disproportionate interest in critical infrastructure.
- Our threat environment will deteriorate.
- Supply chains will be particularly stressed and need careful management. International partners will be important.
- Things will go wrong, but we can be prepared.
- Risk management is an enduring and ongoing function not a static Risk Management Plan.
- Success will look like a critical infrastructure community willing to collaborate.
- Success will need a curious mindset.
- Failure of imagination: we must always challenge our imagination to make sure we don’t fail, potentially catastrophically.
- We can’t be beholden to the current strictures. Be bold and think big!
It was also very pleasing to be present for the announcement of the promotion of Hamish to Deputy Secretary, Cyber & Infrastructure Security Group (CISG), DHA, with the creation of this Group from 1 May 2023. The CISG will bring together the Government’s cyber security and infrastructure policy settings, response and coordination as well as regulatory elements into one place – a ‘one stop shop’ for cyber and infrastructure.
Congratulations Hamish and we commend the Commonwealth Government on its continuing engagement with industry to refine Australia’s ongoing critical infrastructure reforms.
Providence Consulting Group is well positioned to contribute meaningfully to future discussions, particularly those concerning personnel security, insider threat management and the personnel security aspects of supply chain. We are committed to being a productive security partner of the Government, SOCI entities and the Australian people.
