The Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry has officially launched the Cyber Security and Scams Policy Position, a first-of-its-kind document that outlines the steps Australia must take to achieve the country’s ambition of becoming the most cyber-secure nation by 2030.
The policy position advocates for the Federal Government to implement bold cyber policies, educational institutions to develop cyber security apprenticeships with extensive practical work experience, financial institutions to invest in more secure technologies, and digital devices and software to be secure by default.
The paper detailed 24 recommendations, with three of these measures being highlighted to help bolster Australia’s cybersecurity efforts:
- Establishment of industry-led cyber health clinics that will provide local, face-to-face solutions to uplift business cyber security with trust.
- Establishment of a Cyber Safe Score that will rate the level of cyber security maturity of businesses and any of their commercial products and services to boost competitiveness and secure supply chains.
- Adoption of a cyber security apprenticeship training model that will give students the practical work experience they need to directly enter the workforce.
The Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry extensively held consultations with small, medium and family businesses, telcos, tech giants, social media platforms, health providers, education institutions, banks and other critical infrastructure for the preparation of the paper.
“In today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape, it is imperative that governments and businesses prioritise cyber security,” Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry Chief Executive, Paul Guerra, said. “As we navigate an increasingly technology-driven world, our reliance on interconnected systems and data sharing has reached unprecedented levels.
“Our policy position is not just a set of guidelines; it’s a first-of-its-kind, comprehensive and strategic framework that underscores the significance of safeguarding our digital landscape and the very foundation of our economy,” Guerra added. “Supply chain cyber risk is increasing, and a breach in one business, however small, can have significant ripple effects.”
A recent survey by the chamber revealed that while 74 per cent of businesses stated that they are confident in their cyber defences, this conflicts with cyber industry knowledge that businesses are unaware of the high probability that they will, at some point, suffer a cyberattack. When asked, 73 per cent would also be more inclined to strengthen their data security with government support.
“We stand ready to work with governments, businesses, and all stakeholders to ensure that our policy position translates into concrete actions,” Guerra said. “Our objective is to make it easy for small, medium and family businesses to increase their cyber security.”
