The Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security (PJCIS) has backed proposed new laws that further enhance government cooperation with industry to combat sophisticated cyber-attacks on Australia’s critical infrastructure.

Media release issue date: Friday, 25 March 2022

The Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security (PJCIS) has backed proposed new laws that further enhance government cooperation with industry to combat sophisticated cyber-attacks on Australia’s critical infrastructure. In its Advisory report on the Security Legislation Amendment (Critical Infrastructure Protection) Bill 2022 (SLACIP Bill) presented today, the Committee has recommended that the next phase of critical infrastructure protections be passed, with targeted amendments. These provisions will enable the government to work with industry to ensure that appropriate risk management programs are in place, and that the nation’s most at risk assets can be protected on all fronts. The PJCIS has made 11 recommendations in relation to the Bill and the revised Security of Critical Infrastructure (SOCI) framework, which aim to ensure that: the cooperative relationship with industry can continue to inform the flexible regulatory base that the Bill proposes; the Committee is notified when sensitive powers are exercised and that consultation is ongoing and effective; elements of the potential impact of the Bill on workers’ rights are clarified, definitions codified and that review mechanisms be considered; and the Bill’s mechanisms will be reviewed for their effectiveness, operation and proportionality, once the new powers are finalised and implemented. Chair of the Committee, Senator James Paterson said, 'The new laws are a critical tool that will bring together government and industry to strengthen our defences against significant threats from nation state adversaries and criminal actors.' 'The threat to Australia is increasing in scale and sophistication, and so it’s never been more important to harden our systems. That requires a collaborative effort from government and industry to identify and counter cyber threats targeted at our critical infrastructure, many of which are currently regarded as soft targets by our adversaries,' Senator Paterson said. 'Regrettably, even the best endeavours of industry may not be enough to stop a cascading and potentially economy-crippling collapse of supply lines and services. That’s why government and industry must be able to efficiently and effectively combine efforts to defend these critical systems. 'The Committee is confident that these tools strike the right balance to ensure our nation’s most critical assets are protected from cyber threats at all levels. The cost of inaction is simply too high. 'To ensure the laws achieve this critical objective, the Committee has recommended that their effectiveness be reviewed once fully implemented to ensure they remain fit for purpose and proportionate to the threat environment,' Senator Paterson said. Further information on the inquiry as well as a copy of the report can be obtained from the inquiry website. Media enquiries Chair, Senator James Paterson Deborah Seccombe 0451 255 891 deborah.seccombe@aph.gov.au For background information Committee Secretariat (02) 6277 2360 pjcis@aph.gov.au For more information about this Committee, you can visit its website. On the site, you can make a submission to an inquiry, read other submissions, and get details for upcoming public hearings. You can also track the Committee and receive email updates by clicking on the blue ‘Track Committee’ button in the bottom right hand corner of the page.

The Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security will hear evidence from critical industries and government agencies on proposed new laws to protect Australia’s infrastructure from sophisticated cyber attacks.

Media release issue date: Tuesday, 15 March 2022

The Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security (PJCIS) will hear evidence from critical industries and government agencies on proposed new laws to protect Australia’s infrastructure from sophisticated cyber attacks. The Security Legislation Amendment (Critical Infrastructure Protection) Bill 2022 addresses outstanding elements of new cyber laws passed by the Parliament last year, as recommended by the PJCIS in its Advisory report on the Security Legislation Amendment (Critical Infrastructure) Bill 2020 and Statutory Review of the Security of Critical Infrastructure Act 2018. The Committee will hear from witnesses representing a range of industry sectors including: IT, telecommunications, education, health care, logistics, energy, utilities, and key union groups. The Committee will also hear from key government agencies, such as the Australian Signals Directorate and the Department of Home Affairs. 'Australia’s security outlook has never been more uncertain, and so it’s critical that government and industry are working hand in glove to identify and counter sophisticated cyber attacks,' PJCIS Chair Senator James Paterson said.  'The second tranche of cyber laws aims to achieve just that, and I look forward to hearing from the government and private sector alike to ensure a unified response to threats against our nation,' Senator Paterson said. Further information on the inquiry can be obtained from the Committee’s website. Public hearing details Wednesday, 16 March 2022 10.00am – 5:00pm (AEDT) Committee Room 2S1, Parliament House, Canberra A program for the hearing is available online and the hearing will be broadcast live at aph.gov.au/live. Media enquiries: Chair, Senator James Paterson via Deborah Seccombe 0451 255 891 deborah.seccombe@aph.gov.au For background information: Committee Secretariat 02 6277 2360 pjcis@aph.gov.au For more information about this Committee, you can visit its website. On the site, you can make a submission to an inquiry, read other submissions, and get details for upcoming public hearings. You can also track the Committee and receive email updates by clicking on the blue ‘Track Committee’ button in the bottom right hand corner of the page.

The Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security (PJCIS) has commenced a review into new laws to protect Australia’s infrastructure from sophisticated cyber threats.

Media release issue date: Friday, 11 February 2022

The Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security (PJCIS) has commenced a review into new laws to protect Australia’s infrastructure from sophisticated cyber threats. The Security Legislation Amendment (Critical Infrastructure Protection) Bill 2022 was referred to the Committee by the Hon Karen Andrews MP, Minister for Home Affairs, and has been requested to report in time for the Bill to be passed in the March 2022 sitting period. The Bill has been introduced to address the outstanding elements of the proposed framework that the PJCIS reported on in its Advisory report on the Security Legislation Amendment (Critical Infrastructure) Bill 2020 and Statutory Review of the Security of Critical Infrastructure Act 2018. The Bill proposes revised measures to introduce: Critical Infrastructure Risk Management Programs – revised and reformed in line with the recommendations of the PJCIS report. The form of the programs, the rules defining their content and scope, and ongoing consultation to ensure collaborative design and to avoid regulatory duplication has been highlighted by the Government in the Bill’s introduction; Declaration of Systems of National Significance and accompanying Enhanced Cyber Security Obligations; and Other measures to achieve the outcomes of other recommendations from the PJCIS report, feedback from stakeholders and other realised efficiencies.  More information regarding the Bill and its referral can be found at the review website. The Committee requests submissions to the Bill review by Tuesday, 1 March 2022. The Committee acknowledges the short timeframe for this review, and has provided some principle-based questions and themes to help aid submitters on addressing the key areas the Committee will be interested in. These principles are available on the review website. Prospective submitters are advised that any submission to the Committee’s inquiry must be prepared solely for the inquiry and should not be published prior to being accepted by the Committee. Further information about making a submission to a committee inquiry can be found at the following link. Media inquiries Chair, Senator James Paterson via Deborah Seccombe on 0451 255 891 or deborah.seccombe@aph.gov.au For background information Committee Secretariat, Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security, (02) 6277 2360 or pjcis@aph.gov.au. For more information about this Committee, you can visit its website. On the site, you can make a submission to an inquiry, read other submissions, and get details for upcoming public hearings. You can also track the Committee and receive email updates by clicking on the blue ‘Track Committee’ button in the bottom right hand corner of the page.