Group of Eight (Go8) Chief Executive Vicki Thomson said the second stage of the Australian Government’s critical infrastructure reforms, introduced into Parliament today, recognised the concerns raised by the Go8 and urged Parliamentarians to support the amended legislation.
The Security Legislation Amendment (Critical Infrastructure) Bill 2020, or Bill Two, includes amended definitions of ‘higher education and research sector’ and ‘critical education asset’, consistent with Go8 recommendations.
There is also a clear intent that the risk management program introduced by Bill Two will not apply initially – as Go8 has advocated – to the higher education and research sector, while the sector’s management of risks via implementation of the Guidelines to Counter Foreign Interference in the Australian University Sector is also acknowledged.
Ms Thomson said the legislation introduced by Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews reflected widespread consultation with the higher education sector.
“Group of Eight universities undertake 70 percent of all university-based research in Australia, and the overwhelming majority of Australia’s national security-sensitive university research.
“We are committed to safeguarding our critical infrastructure assets and to ensuring we have the necessary cybersecurity protections for our research as well as that of the partners with whom we interact.
“The Go8 supported the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security (PJCIS) recommendation to adopt a two-step approach to protecting Australia’s critical infrastructure by splitting the urgent and non-urgent elements of the Bill to allow for consultation between universities, business and government.
“We worked collaboratively with government and industry to co-design an effective, fit for purpose regulatory framework to address industry concerns and provide the best possible protections for Go8 research, which is critical to Australia’s national security.”
Go8 recommendations are available here.
