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16 June 2003
Opinion
The two big developments in the past fortnight week
have been the
- release of the report by Engineers Australia
of Engineering a Safer Australia: Securing Critical Infrastructure
and the Built Environment. The ABC TV broadcast the report's release
via the National Press Club's Telstra address.
- formation of the Science, Engineering and Technology
Unit in the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet. It is interesting
to note that the formation of this unit was recommended in December
2002 by the Prime Minister's Science, Engineering and Innovation
Council.
SET
Unit established
27 June 03: A Science, Engineering and Technology
Unit will be established in the new National Security Division of
the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet to coordinate scientific
support for counter-terrorism. Staff will be seconded to the coordination
unit from a range of relevant agencies including the Defence Science
and Technology Organisation, the Department of Science, Education
and Training, the CSIRO, ASIO and the Australian Federal Police. A
high level steering committee will oversight the strategic direction
of the unit. The unit's first tasks will include providing a strategic
view of Australian counter-terrorism requirements in the short, medium
and long term and to provide a focal point for international collaboration,
particularly with the USA Technical Support Working Group.
More information>>
http://www.pm.gov.au/news/media_releases/media_Release161.html
Release
of Engineering a Safer Australia report
25 June 03: Engineers Australia, formerly known
as Institution of Engineers Australia, released the report, Engineering
a Safer Australia: Securing Critical Infrastructure and the Built
Environment. The 150 page report addresses the threats posed by
terrorism and other malicious attacks on Australia's critical infrastructure
and the broader urban environment.
The report says that that the Commonwealth's response
to threats to critical infrastructure and the built environment have
been lacking. Deficiencies include the slow speed of policy development
and implementation, inadequate whole of government coordination and
a failure to adopt an all-hazards approach. The report also says the
Commonwealth has failed to focus on built environment elements outside
of the critical infrastructure areas, to facilitate industry self-improvement,
and to capitalise on the contribution that engineers can make to enhancing
national security. The report included 8 recommendations. The report
is at http://www.ieaust.org.au/policy/publications.html.
John Boshier, Chief Executive of Engineers Australia,
launched the report during his 40 minutes National Press Club Telstra
address. His speech is at http://www.ieaust.org.au/policy/speeches_by_year0_0.html
Business
Continuity Management Audit Report
23 June 03: The Australian National Audit Office
tabled the report Business Continuity Management Follow-on Audit.
The objective of this audit was to examine BCM
arrangements across four Commonwealth organisations, to assess whether
their existing BCM exhibit the principles espoused in the ANAO's Better
Practice Guide. Its findings included that:
- all organisations had commenced, or completed,
risk assessments that identified their business continuity risks.
- only two organisations had documented business
continuity as a risk priority in their current organisation-wide
risk management plans.
- some organisations assessed business continuity
risks within 'silos', at the operating group level. There was an
inability to demonstrate that these assessments were being considered
at an organisation-wide level to ensure that priorities and treatments
(controls and plans) were consistent.
- none of the organisations had documented a
policy statement that fully articulated their expectations of a
BCM framework.
The report
is at http://www.anao.gov.au/WebSite.nsf/ViewPubs!ReadForm&View=LatestAuditReportByTitle&Title=Latest%20Audit%20Reports&Start=11&Count=10
Queensland
to create Australian Centre To Fight Bioterrorism
24 June 03: Queensland Premier Peter Beattie,
announced more than $4 million to help establish a Co-operative Research
Centre (CRC) for Australian Biosecurity at the University of Queensland
in Brisbane be established. The Co-operative Research Centre aims
to develop new ways to monitor, assess, predict and respond to emerging
infectious disease threats to reduce the risks to our region and minimise
potential impacts.
More information>>http://statements.cabinet.qld.gov.au/portfolio-display/tmp/1057126537.html
Launch
of the Australian High Tech Crime Centre
2 July 03: The Australian
High Tech Crime Centre (AHTCC) was launched today. The AHTCC brings
together representatives from all State and Territory police services
and the Australian Federal Police (AFP) to plan for and address the
emerging challenges posed by high tech crime.
The AHTCC will provide
a nationally coordinated approach to combating serious, complex and
multi-jurisdictional high tech crimes. The creation of the Centre
comes as a result of consultation and planning between Australian
police commissioners, and follows the release of the Electronic
Crime Strategy 2001, which identified high tech crime as a priority
for law enforcement agencies in Australia.
The AHTCC is to be hosted
by the AFP in Canberra and is the first centre of its kind to be established
in Australia. The concept of a national centre for high tech crime
was conceived after extensive research on overseas initiatives in
this field, and has been adapted to suit the Australian law enforcement
environment.
More information>> http://www.ahtcc.gov.au/
Critical
Infrastructure submission by the Australian Bankers' Association
16 June 03: The ABA has made a submission to the
Parliamentary Joint Committee on the Australian Crime Commission's
Inquiry into Cybercrime, which is inquiring into trends in practices
and methods of this emerging criminal activity. The main points in
the submission are:
- the banking industry is a crucial component
of the critical infrastructure that underpins the entire economy;
- banks play an important role in protecting
the payments systems which underpin the entire economy;
- banks will participate in the Federal Government's
Trusted Information Sharing Network (TISN) provided all stakeholder
interests are protected;
- banks will continue to provide information
to ensure customers better understand ways they can protect their
own interests;
- State and Federal Governments have a vital
role in educating the general public on ways to protect themselves
against this type of crime.
More information>>
http://www.bankers.asn.au/ABA/adminpages/AdminViewAnArticle.asp?ArticleID=393
ASIO
requires Critical Infrastructure Analysts
ASIO is recruiting for several Officer Grade 5
Critical Infrastructure Analyst. The salary range is $55,672 to $63,502
(depending on qualifications and experience)
ASIO's Directorate of Critical Infrastructure
Protection is responsible for providing threat advice to Government
with regard to Australia's critical infrastructure (those key physical
assets and information networks essential to Australia's security
and its social and economic well-being).
The positions are part of a multi-disciplinary
team responsible for the collection and analysis of information relevant
to threats to Australia's critical infrastructure. Team members liaise
with federal and state agencies and the private sector to prepare
assessments on current and emerging threats to national critical infrastructure.
More information>>
http://www.asio.gov.au/Employment/Content/Vacancies/Crit_Infra_Any.htm
News
coverage
24 June 2003, Australian Financial Review, Computers
- Tighter security urged for education data
26 June 2003, Australian Financial Review, Computers
- Government belted on security
28 June 2003, Canberra Times, Top science unit
to help fight terrorism
24 June 2003, Courier-Mail, State to fight bio-terrorists
1 July 2003, The Australian, State's gateway fails
disaster audit
Calls
for papers
Papers are wanted for the 4th Australian Information
Warfare & Security Conference 2003. It will be held at the University
of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia. 20-21 November 2003.
More information>> http://www.cis.unisa.edu.au/aiwsc03/
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