Australia’s new cyber boss was announced, a new Data and Digital Government Strategy dropped, and more.
Here’s what I’ve noticed since the previous edition on 16 June:
- “The former head of the Royal Australian Air Force’s VIP operations and current air commander, Air Vice-Marshal Darren Goldie, will become the head of the National Office of Cyber Security and Australia’s cyber security coordinator within the Department of Home Affairs. The appointment is a major win for the military in the pecking order of Australia’s sprawling cyber estate,” reports The Mandarin.
- Also, “The head of Australia’s Office of National Intelligence, Andrew Shearer, has warned that outdated thinking on personnel vetting used to inform security clearances for those seeking to work in the intelligence community needs to be modernised before it impedes access to much-needed talent.”
- The government has released an initial Data and Digital Government Strategy, “outlining its vision to deliver simple, secure, and connected public services for all people and business through world-class data and digital capabilities”. Submissions close 25 July.
- Update: I asked ChatGPT to write the Minister’s introduction. I think you’ll find the results more than acceptable. Meanwhile Justin Warren has given the strategy a quick look.
- ABC’s international budget should grow as China spends billions on information war, inquiry told.
- The government introduced the Classification (Publications, Films and Computer Games) Amendment (Industry Self-Classification and Other Measures) Bill 2023. “The Bill expands options for industry to self-classify film and computer game content to promote industry compliance and improve efficiency in classifying large volumes of content across platforms, especially online.”
- The Intelligence Services Legislation Amendment Bill 2023 aims to expand the oversight of intelligence agencies and provide legal coverage to the new National Anti-Corruption Commission, as well as a few other bits and pieces. Probably worth checking for anything controversial.
- Centre Alliance member Rebekha Sharkie introduced the Interactive Gambling Amendment (Ban on Gambling Advertisements) Bill 2023.
- Please be having the final report of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on the Australian Commission for Law Enforcement Integrity.
- And finally, something important I missed last week. Treasury is running an Independent Evaluation of the JobKeeper Payment. This is the thing that happened during the COVID-19 pandemic, not the regular JobSeeker payment. Submissions close 14 July.
Please let me know if I’ve missed anything, or if there’s any specific items you’d like me to follow. Parliament is now on its winter break, so the next edition will appear when there’s enough to make it worthwhile.
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[Photo: Air Vice-Marshal Darren Goldie, the new head of the National Office of Cyber Security and Australia’s cyber security coordinator within the Department of Home Affairs.]