In other public sector ICT and digital news for the 16th of March

• NSW Treasury and the NSW Department of Customer Service (DCS) are in effect creating a ‘Cyber Hub’, as revealed in a job listing for a customer-facing chief information security officer (CISO) manager at DCS..    The duties of the position are to be responsible for ‘the security posture of Treasury’ which will require the successful applicant to: 

  • Assess, document and develop strategies to address the department’s security risks; 

  • Align to a centre lead security approach whereby you will deliver DCS CISO services into Treasury; 

  • Act as a Treasury’s cyber advocate and work with the DCS Cluster CISO to influence change for the benefit of Treasury; 

  • Develop strategies which are aligned and integrated with the DCS cyber strategy; 

  • Produce reporting and present assurance to senior stakeholders; 

  • Act as a point of escalation for security incidents, requests and consulting requests. 

• The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, Australian Communications and Media Authority, the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner, and the Office of the eSafety Commissioner have come together to form the Digital Platform Regulators Forum (DP-REG). DP-REG seeks to increase information sharing between digital platform regulators and streamline digital platform regulation across Australia.  

• The Prime Minister and Opposition leader Anthony Albanese have both announced plans to improve the nation’s cyber security defences upon election. Morrison has pledged to increase Australia’s defence force by 30 per cent at an estimated cost of $38 billion, focusing on maximising cyber security and submarine capabilities. Albanese sees that political leadership is key to maintaining the country’s cyber security defences and has pledged to create a dedicated cyber security minister position. 

• The WA Department of Health’s Manage My Care application is now available at most of the state’s public hospitals, with over 49,000 users. The WA Government will continue to roll out the app until it is available in every hospital in WA. The app allows users to access their outpatient appointments and referral information. 

• Labour Senator Kim Carr condemned the Coalition's proposed Social Media (Anti-Trolling Bill) in a public hearing. Carr claims that the Bill is ‘grossly inadequate’ and ‘not fit for purpose’. The Bill will force social media sites to create defamation complaints systems to aid legal proceedings.  

• The NSW Government has launched several grants to boost the green technology industry and reduce the state’s emissions. The grant initiatives include $40 million for commercialisation projects, $10 million to support clean technology ecosystems, and $45 million for research, development and commercialisation infrastructure. 

• The NSW Government has developed a task force to create a modern manufacturing strategy. The strategy will be finalised by the state’s Modern Manufacturing Commissioner once one is appointed. 

• Screen Australia has launched the $6 million Games: Expansion Pack fund to support video game development in Australia. The grant is targeted at SME independent game studios and will a 30 per cent tax offset for studios producing original games with budgets below $500,000. Minister for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts, Paul Fletcher, says that the fund will “supercharge investment into digital games in Australia.”

International News

• UK Government to create Office for Digital Identities 

• UK space agency to share space surveillance data 

• US bills push for public sector cyber security training 

• UK health service finds supplier to maintain COVID tracing app 

• UK digital collaboration unit backs eight digital government projects 

• IBM scores £50m for DDaT with UK Home Office 

• UK Government develops ‘baseline assessment’ tool for schoolchildren 

• UK launches first ‘smart’ prison 

• UK Cabinet HR chief will ‘leverage AI and digitalisation’