The Morrison government will scale up the cyber security teams that defend Australia's communications networks in a $156 million election pledge that includes new scholarships and recruitment programs.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
On alert for attacks from foreign agencies and criminals, the government wants to expand its online security workforce across several departments while using public funds to encourage more young Australians to study computer science.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison will announce the spending on Monday with a warning about the risk to Australians from security gaps and an emphasis on the older population who may be more exposed than others.
While the Commonwealth has expanded its online security teams over many years and under both major parties, the funding is a sign of concern at the increasing intensity of cyber attacks.
Security agencies have revealed computer attacks on Parliament, the major political parties, the Bureau of Meteorology and other federal agencies in recent years.
The "cyber resilience and workforce package" will include $50 million to hire more staff under a workforce expansion program.
It will also include $40 million to set up a "countering foreign cyber criminals" capacity within the existing Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC), which will work with the Australian Federal Police against organised crime.
Another $26 million will go to the ACSC to expand its assistance to the community.
Engineers warned two years ago that Australia faced serious skills shortages when 6 per cent of girls were studying physics in year 12 while the results for advanced maths were "almost as bad" with only 6.2 per cent of girls and 11.5 per cent of boys studying the subject.
One industry group, the Australian Cyber Security Growth Network, estimated last November that the country would need 18,000 more cyber security workers by 2026.
"Despite the recent growth in Australia's core cyber workforce, a substantial number of vacant cyber security positions remain unfilled because companies can't find the right talents," it said.
The national cyber security adviser, Alastair MacGibbon, is expected to lead the program to expand the workforce by working with the Department of Defence and the Department of Home Affairs.
The money will pay for new scholarships for postgraduate, undergraduate and vocational education in the field of cyber security, with half the scholarships reserved for women.
The agencies will also expand programs for school and university students to encourage more of them into the field.
Some of the money will go to Questacon, a Canberra science and technology centre, to educate teachers and increase student interest in science, technology, engineering and maths, or STEM. This is expected to train 1000 primary school teachers.
The government is also promising to develop more work experience placements and industry exchanges to develop practical skills in the national cyber security workforce.
Another $40 million will be used to hire more military cyber specialists in the ADF over four years.
- SMH/The Age
