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28 April 2005

1 Editorial
Engineers Australia is proud again to be a major supporter of the Safeguarding Australia Summit in Canberra from 12-14 July 2005. This year a major innovation is a sub-conference called The Science, Engineering and Technology (SET) Summit on Counter-Terrorism Technology. Highlights will be addresses on what DSTO, CSIRO, Geoscience Australia and ANSTO are doing in counter-terrorism, plus a tech update stream on future directions in:

• remote vehicle tracking
• surveillance & CCTV
• geospatial intelligence
• intelligence
• UAVs in domestic security
• VIP vehicle protection
• vehicle barrier stopping systems

For the latest information on the evolving program see http://www.safeguardingaustraliasummit.org.au/program.html#3

2 Brief news from Engineers Australia

1. Engineers Australia is supporting the seminar - Countering Man Portable Air Defence Systems (MANPADs) & Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs): A briefing on the threats & countermeasures for Australia's aviation, domestic security & defence communities on 29 April 2005 at the Australian Federal Police College in Canberra. More information here.

3 Brief news from around Australia

1. Mike Rothery has been appointed to the position Assistant Secretary, Critical Infrastructure Protection.
2. ASIO has advertised the position of Director-Business Liaison Unit. The Director will build, lead and manage a new unit responsible for liaison between ASIO and the business community, including developing and implementing coordination and information flows between ASIO and business.
3. The Attorney-General Philip Ruddock said earlier this month that he hoped to be in a position to reveal the first successful projects in the near future, indicating the grants would go to companies in the water, and gas and electricity supply sectors. "Under the national program, experts will work to identify vulnerabilities in computer systems, examine their network interdependencies and test their abilities to withstand cyber-attack," Mr Ruddock said.
4. The National Counter-Terrorism Exercise Outer Edge ran from April 26-29 April in the Northern Territory. The Exercise was designed to evaluate crisis capabilities in a contemporary threat scenario, this time with a specific focus on a chemical, biological and radiological (CBR) incident. Outer Edge is the second of five exercises scheduled for this year as part of the ongoing $15.7 million National Counter Terrorism Committee exercise program. The first of this year's national counter-terrorism response exercises begin in Victoria on 4 April and went for 5 days. The Tactical Response Exercise (TACREX) High Line has a specific focus on testing and evaluating the tactical-level response of Victoria Police and its interoperability with the Australian Defence Force and interstate police tactical groups.
5. Speaking that the 2005 Joint Future Warfighting Conference the Minister for Defence, Robert Hill, noted that there has been "a blurring between traditional military 'warfighting' and broader national security issues." He said that today's threats "primarily related to terrorism and extremism, the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, missile systems and other unconventional or asymmetric capabilities, trans-national crime, piracy and illegality including people smuggling, resource extraction, money transfers and biological threats." Warfighting capabilities were one of the assets used to combat these threats, but more often than not, Hill saw the response requiring other resources. "Thus the warfighter is seen as a part of the solution, but not the whole."
6. The Australian Government would be providing $5 million dollars in funding for the ongoing joint - Australian Federal Police (AFP)/ Indonesian National Police investigation into the bombing at the Australian Embassy in Jakarta last September. This additional allocation will be used to ensure that the investigation has the funds to allow the use of the latest technological policing tools.

4 Call for pre-proposals for counter-terrorism funding
The Research Support for Counter-Terrorism funding programme commissions and delivers strategically focussed research and development activities to enhance national counter-terrorism capabilities.

The Science, Engineering and Technology (SET) Unit of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet manages the programme. The Unit, through consultation with stakeholders, develops specific research and development requirements for counter-terrorism agencies to ensure a national strategic approach is undertaken. The programme funds research projects assessed as having a high potential of addressing priority requirements. Funding is provided on a co-investment basis and is therefore dependent on a funding commitment from a counter-terrorism user agency.

This commitment is sought by the SET Unit as part of the pre-proposal assessment process. The programme does not necessarily support individual agency needs nor does it purport to cover all requirements. Priority is given to projects that satisfy the needs of multiple agencies and have financial support of those agencies. Pre-proposals will be accepted from Australian private companies and organisations such as universities, Cooperative Research Centres (CRCs) and Commonwealth scientific agencies (eg, CSIRO, DSTO). Consortia of these may also apply.

Pre-proposals are currently being requested for several requirements. Information on these and access to the pre-proposal form can be found at the SET Unit's website. Information and guidelines are available from www.pmc.gov.au/setu or by contacting the SET Unit by email: setu@pmc.gov.au or by phone: (02) 6271 5247.

5 National ID Security Initiative
The Australian Government will step up its efforts to combat identity theft by developing a national strategy combating the fraudulent use of stolen and assumed identities. The Government believes identity security is an issue of critical concern to all Australians. Identity fraud was estimated by AUSTRAC in 2001-02 to cost Australia $1.1 billion.

The Government plans to develop a national strategy as a matter of priority to enhance identification and verification processes. It also will ensure a coordinated approach by Commonwealth agencies, many of which are already addressing identity fraud.

In the next 12-18 months, the Government will examine a number of key areas including:

• documents presented as proof of identity
• security features on proof of identity documents
• document verification
• improving the accuracy of information on government databases; and
• authentication of individuals accessing services.

The strategy will be developed in partnership with State and Territory Governments recognising their responsibility for primary identification documents such as birth certificates, fact of death data and drivers' licences. The private sector will also be consulted. The proposals will be developed in consultation with the Federal Privacy Commissioner to ensure the rights of individuals to privacy are protected.

6 New secure TISN website
The Government has celebrated the second anniversary of the Trusted Information Shared Network (TISN) - a forum to share confidential information across all major industry sectors and government - by launching a secure website.

The website, built by the Defence Signals Directorate, provides TISN members with a secure online area where they can exchange confidential information about security issues. Industry sectors represented on the TISN include water, health, energy, transport, food chain, IT & communications.

Mr Ruddock noted the significant achievements of the TISN in its first two years of operation and stated that "Today we have a fully-functioning, effective network which is producing concrete outcomes as members work to identify and address the vulnerabilities within their sectors".

7 New report out on Maritime Security
The Australian Strategic Policy Institute has released a report called Future unknown: The terrorist threat to Australian maritime security. The report identifies where gaps exist in current arrangements and includes recommendations to improve coordination between agencies and to develop the national capacity to manage maritime security in the longer term. It identified major terrorist threats as:

• a direct attack on a port facility (especially a container, oil, gas or chemical terminal)
• a direct attack on a ship, particularly a high-risk vessel such as a ferry
• the use of a ship to transport weapons of mass destructions

• The Australian Government should introduce a $100 - million Maritime and Port Security Program over 3 years, on a cost-shared basis, to further modernise and strengthen maritime and port security systems and programs
• DOTARS should be given a clear mandate to secure the entire supply chain and work with Customers, DFAT and the Critical Infrastructure Protection Branch of the Attorney-General's Department to adopt a broader supply-chain security perspective that ensures port, ship and cargo security.
• Australia's Chief Scientist should prepare a paper that addresses the scientific, technological and analytical requirements for Australian port and maritime security.

The report, written by Anthony Bergin and Sam Bateman, can be purchased from ASPI.

8 New Standards to combat maritime smuggling and terrorism
The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has released new guidelines for assessing security threats to maritime port facilities and planning preventive measures. The guidelines are the result of a strategic collaboration between ISO and international port, shipping and customs organisations.

The document is designed to facilitate a consistent implementation of the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code worldwide as a way to create a safe and secure international maritime shipping regime. The International Ship and Port Facility Security Code, which was adopted by more than 100 countries of the International Maritime Organization, contains detailed security-related requirements for governments, port authorities and shipping companies. It is intended to enable better monitoring of freight flows, to combat smuggling and to respond to the threat of terrorist attacks. Countries that fail to observe the Code, which took effect 1 July 2004, risk being excluded from international trade.

ISO/PAS 20858:2004, Ships and marine technology - Maritime port facility security assessments and security plan development, is designed to ensure that the security measures of a port facility meet the requirements of the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code and appropriate maritime security practices and that the measures can be verified by an external auditor. It provides a framework to assist marine port facilities in:

• specifying the competence of personnel to conduct a marine port facility assessment
• developing a security plan as required by the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code
• conducting the marine port facility security assessment
• drafting a port facility security plan to protect the people, ships and cargo within a port facility from the risks of a security incident.

9 Opening of the headquarters of the Joint Offshore Protection Command increases maritime counter-terrorism protection
The Headquarters Joint Offshore Protection Command (JOPC) was opened in Canberra late last month and is staffed by both Customs and Defence personnel. It will assume direct responsibility for counter-terrorism prevention, interdiction and response in all offshore areas of Australia.

In addition, the Command will significantly boost security for Australia's offshore oil and gas installations. Air and sea patrols of installations in the Timor Sea and North-West Shelf regions were already underway. Customs Coastwatch aircraft, Customs National Marine Unit and Naval patrol boats will work together to patrol and protect these areas on a focussed but unpredictable basis.

While Coastwatch would continue to co-ordinate law enforcement activities in the areas of customs, immigration, quarantine and fisheries, the JOPC would deliver an over-arching military capability for offshore maritime protection.

Once fully operational, the JOPC will co-ordinate information and intelligence from a range of sources, process those details and arrange the most appropriate response.

The JOPC will also develop and manage the Australian Maritime Identification System. When implemented it will provide the necessary information about vessels approaching and transiting Australia's offshore maritime areas to determine if those vessels pose a threat to Australia's security.

10 Selected contracts

1. The Attorney General's Department is seeking EOI submissions for the supply, install and commission perimeter electronic surveillance equipment at up to eleven sites within Australia. Info
2. The Office of Transport Security, within the Department of Transport and Regional Services, wishes to engage consultants to develop and deliver the Joint Indonesian-Australian Aviation Security Capacity Building Project. Info

11 The report into the shutdown of Melbourne Airport's southern terminal in February

The State Government has received a report by Victoria's Emergency Services Commissioner into an incident that led to the shutdown of Melbourne Airport's southern terminal in February. It stated that the cause of the incident remained unknown. The review made nine recommendations to improving planning, coordination and management of future incidents.

The Police & Emergency Services Minister Tim Holding said that the Commonwealth's Airport Rescue and Fire Fighting (ARFF) service was responsible for responding to hazardous materials incidents at Melbourne airport. He said this was despite the fact ARFF had only a limited capacity to test the air for the existence for toxic substances.

Mr Holding said the State Government had written to the Prime Minister asking that in the unlikely event of another possible hazardous materials emergency at the airport, ARFF immediately notify Victoria's Metropolitan Fire Brigade to enable the best possible response. He said the MFB had the equipment and expertise to properly test for a wide range of chemical agents and foreign substances.

12 Dr. Boaz Ganor to address 2005 Safeguarding Australia Summit

Dr. Boaz Ganor, Executive Director of the International Policy Institute for Counter-Terrorism, Israel, has just confirmed he will be addressing the 2005 Safeguarding Australia Summit on 12-14 July in Canberra.

Dr. Ganor served as an advisor on counter-terrorism to many Israeli Governments, and has worked in the Counter-Terrorism Coordinator Bureau at the Prime Minister's office. Dr. Ganor is the author of "The Counter-Terrorism Puzzle: A Guide for Decision Makers", which was published in March 2005. This book is the first attempt to create a manual of counter-terrorism measures on all relevant operational levels. The author's main purpose is to give decision-makers the tools to make rational and effective decisions in both preventing and countering terrorism.

The need to contend with terrorism can be found in almost every sphere of life: Security, prevention and suppression of terrorism, legal and ethical dilemmas regarding democratic issues, such as the individual's human rights, intelligence interrogations, the right of the public to know, as well as coping with social, psychological, and media-related issues.

Information: http://www.safeguardingaustraliasummit.org.au/

13 New regulatory regime proposed for Victoria's private security industry

The Victorian Government has released its proposed Private Security Regulations 2005 and Regulatory Impact Statement (RIS) for public comment. The objective of the regulatory regime for the private security industry is to reduce the risks to public safety, peace and security of property by:

• Excluding from the private security industry persons or businesses likely to increase those risks
• Prescribing competency criteria in the private security industry
• Prescribing requirements in relation to private security industry operations and practices

The proposed Act covers "security advisers" who are persons employed or retained to provide advice in relation to security equipment or security methods or principles. The draft is available here.