Australia is facing increasing cyber security threats to essential services, businesses and all levels of government. In recent years we have seen cyber-attacks on federal Parliamentary networks, logistics, the medical sector and universities – just to mention a few.

While owners and operators of critical infrastructure are best placed to deal with such threats, it takes a team effort to bring about positive change. That is why the ongoing security and resilience of critical infrastructure must be a shared responsibility – by all governments and the owners and operators of the infrastructure. The 2021 amendments to the Act is step one to bringing together the team.

The Security Legislation Amendment (Critical Infrastructure) Act 2021 expands the number of critical infrastructure assets under the Security of Critical Infrastructure Act 2018 to provide a framework for managing risks to national security relating to critical infrastructure, including by:

• improving the transparency of the ownership and operational control of critical infrastructure in Australia in order to better understand those risks;
• facilitating cooperation and collaboration between all levels of government, and regulators, owners and operators of critical infrastructure, in order to identify and manage those risks.

Amendments to the Act have strengthened the security and resilience of critical infrastructure, by:

• expanding the scope of the Act from applying to four sectors to eleven sectors;
• providing a regime for the Commonwealth to receive reports in relation to cyber security incidents;
• providing a regime for the Commonwealth to respond to serious cyber security incidents.