Home       Previous newsletters

16 December 2003

1. Editorial
2. Brief News from Engineers Australia
3. Brief News from around the country
4. New definition of critical infrastructure
5. Call for security enhancements of the Building Code of Australia
6. Launch of the National Centre for Security Standards
7. Updated ASIO Current Security Environment Statement
8. Commonwealth funding for the Research Network for Engineering a Secure Australia
9. ASIO Annual Report Highlights National Security Issues

• Commonwealth support for a research network on safeguarding Australia
• call for ideas on incorporating security in the Building Code of Australia
• the launch of a national security standards centre

All of these activities are aimed at broadening the people and organisations which can contributing to enhancing national security, as well as focusing on the prevention and preparation end of the crisis management paradigm of PPRR (ie prevention, preparation, response and recovery). Athol Yates

2 Brief news from Engineers Australia

1. Athol Yates addressed the Victorian Security 2003 conference last week.
2. Engineers Australia released a media release congratulating the Commonwealth on its support of the research network on safeguarding Australia.
3. Already over 20 people have expressed interest in making presentations at the 2004 Engineering and Security Research Forum. If you want to be involved, click here for more info
4. A call for papers for the ASEAN Engineering Conference AAEC 2004, Sabah Malaysia. Jointly supported by Engineers Australia and Institute of Engineers Malaysia. Conference will have regional security as major theme. Information at http://www.iem.org.my/ASEAN/index.html

3 Brief news from around the country

1. Ian Sare, Coordinator - Secure Australia Program CSIRO, is leaving CSIRO to take up a position at DSTO.
2. The Federal Opposition has appointed Robert McClelland, MP as the the Shadow Minister for Homeland Security.

4 New definition of critical infrastructure
A new definition of critical infrastructure has been promulgated by the Commonwealth. The definition is very similar with the new elements bolded in the definition below:

Critical infrastructure is those physical facilities, supply chains, information technologies and communication networks which, if destroyed, degraded or rendered unavailable for an extended period, would significantly impact on the social or economic well-being of the nation or affect Australia's ability to conduct national defence and ensure national security.

The old one was Critical infrastructure is that infrastructure which, if destroyed, degraded or rendered unavailable for an extended period, will significantly impact on social or economic well-being or affect national security or defence.

5 Call for security enhancements of the Building Code of Australia
The Australian Building Codes Board is calling for views on whether security best practice should be incorporated in the Building Code of Australia. This action is strongly welcomed by Engineers Australia as it has called for a 3 year program to integrate security issues into all relevant codes, standards and guidelines or develop new ones if required.

Comments from practitioners and industry organisations are invited up to 5 March 2004 and should be directed to: Kevin Newhouse, Manager, Professional Services, Australian Building Codes Board, email Kevin.Newhouse@abcb.gov.au. ABCB's media release.

6 Launch of the National Centre for Security Standards
On 8 December, Standards Australia has launched the National Centre for Security Standards [NCSS] in Sydney in a bid to help Australian businesses meet the challenges posed by the current global climate that requires organisations to be increasingly vigilant about security. The launch was attended by Bruce Howard, Engineers Australia Security Commissioner.

The launch of the Centre comes in the wake of a number of high profile security breaches across Australia including a security scare over the Sydney Harbour Bridge and growing concerns around regional airport security.

The Director of Business Standards at Standards Australia, Mr Mark Bezzina, said: "There is a real need to develop, communicate and assist in the implementation of security standards to help protect our critical infrastructure such as power grids, telecommunications, water supply, hospitals, financial markets, icons and people."

The Chairman of the National Centre for Security Standards, Mr David Sadleir, said: "The centre is designed to be a small and dynamic group. We are starting the Centre with a core of key individuals. Other people will be asked to join on an invitation basis. Already, we have had many expressions of interest. I should greatly welcome other expressions of interest from those who would like and are able to contribute."

The Centre would be responsible for developing and maintaining standards in four broad areas of critical infrastructure protection:

• personnel security such as pre-employment checking
• physical security such as bullet resistant panels and closed circuit television [CCTV].
• logical security such as biometrics, banking standards and interoperability.
• procedural security such as business continuity management

More information.

7 Updated ASIO Current Security Environment Statement

ASIO has promulgated an updated Current Security Environment statement. Dated November 2003, the statement updates the one released in March 2003. This statement is critical to those undertaking risk assessments of critical infrastructure as it aims to provide the context statement which is the foundation of risk management activities.

The major changes between the old and new are:

• the new one notes that the terrorism threat "will be an enduring one for the foreseeable future".
• the new one does not contain the following paragraph " Al-Qa'ida and associated groups have the intent and capability to target critical infrastructure. They concentrate on such targets because of their economic and / or symbolic value, and are fully cognisant of the dramatic psychological and economic impact this type of attack produces."
• the new one includes paragraph on al-Qa'ida's focus on aviation
• the new one continues to note that "there have been no instances so far of cyber attacks for terrorist purposes.."

The new and old Current Security Environment is available here.

8 Commonwealth funding for the Research Network for Engineering a Secure Australia

The Commonwealth has supported the Research Network for Engineering a Secure Australia (RNESA). This is a multi-disciplinary collaboration established to strengthen Australia's science and technology capacity for protecting Australia's critical infrastructure from natural or human-caused disasters. The network convenor is Professor Priyan Mendis of Melbourne University, and Engineers Australia is a partner.

RNESA will facilitate a knowledge-sharing network for government, universities and the private sector to produce innovative engineering solutions to the emerging security problems relating to the safety of critical infrastructure.

This initiative will draw together researchers across disciplines to identify a roadmap for future R&D in this area. RNESA's final outcomes will lead to multi-hazard mitigation strategies.

The funding is via the Australia Research Council (ARC) Research Network Program. This is a new program designed to encourage collaborative approaches to research in inter-disciplinary settings.

A meeting of those interested in being involved in RNESA will be held following the 10 February Engineering-Security Research Forum. Information contact Priyan Mendis P.Mendis@civag.unimelb.edu.au

RNESA website www.secureaustralia.org Engineers Australia's Media release

9 ASIO Annual Report Highlights National Security Issues
ASIO Annual Report, tabled recently in Parliament, states that the most significant threat to Australia continues to be from Islamic extremists, particularly those associated with al-Qa'ida and Jemaah Islamiyah.

"A majority of ASIO's investigative and analytical resources in 2002-03 were directed at counter-terrorism investigations and ASIO is confident it has been able to disrupt JI activity in Australia," Attorney-General, Philip Ruddock said.

"The Government shares ASIO's concern following its assessment that a number of Australians have undertaken terrorist training in Afghanistan and Pakistan. "Identifying other Australians who might have undertaken terrorist training remains a priority for ASIO and the Government. "Statements from al-Qa'ida leaders indicating Australia remains a target means we must remain alert to the threat and be prepared to take suitable action to protect Australians and Australian interests.

The report is available from www.asio.gov.au/