Tim Watts (Gellibrand, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Communications and Cyber Security) Share this | Hansard source

I'm pleased to speak in support of the member for Stirling's motion before the House. I acknowledge and thank every member on both sides of the House who have served our country in the Defence Force. I also acknowledge and thank service members of the defence forces, particularly those currently deployed overseas, including the personnel deployed last week to help quell unrest in the Solomon Islands.

It's an incredible sacrifice to put your life on the line and be away from your family and your loved ones for long periods of time to help keep us, our friends and our region safe. I've had the opportunity to observe a career in the defence forces firsthand as a regular participant in the ADF parliamentary exchange program. What has always struck me on seeing ADF service men and women on deployment is just how impressive they are. Highly skilled, highly professional Australians, who know their role, know how to get on with the job and execute it. Some of the ADF's most skilled service men and women work in cybersecurity, the area that I am very happy to represent in the shadow government of this parliament.

Cybersecurity is the most innovative and exciting area in both civilian and defence life right now. You won't find a more interesting career or one with as much future growth potential as one in cybersecurity. We face a critical talent shortage in cybersecurity across Australia. AustCyber estimates that around 16,000 additional cybersecurity workers will be needed for both technical and non-technical positions by 2026. In fact, data from the CyberSeek platform identifies:

… in the 12 months to September 2020, there were more than 14,000 job openings for dedicated and related cyber security roles in Australia, but a talent pool half the size of the national average for employers to recruit from.

The pandemic has only fuelled this demand for cybertalent, with global borders shut and more people working from home than ever before. While more people are choosing to study cyber-related qualifications, with AustCyber estimating the number of graduates to quadruple by 2026, this will still fall far short of what the nation needs. Just 14 per cent of respondents to a 2019 ISACA technology landscape survey believed that we would bridge the skill shortage in our region in the next decade, and 37 per cent believed that the skill shortage would worsen in our region compared to other parts of the globe.

So if you want to start a career in cybersecurity today you'll be confident that there'll be plenty of demand for your skills in the coming years. We need pathways to train those in tomorrow's workforce to develop the skills they need to be effective cybersecurity professionals, and the Defence Force offers an excellent pathway in this regard for those looking to start their cybersecurity careers. Even better: you don't even have to fully commit to a career in the Defence Force straightaway: you can try before you buy. The ADF is currently running an innovative cyber gap program. This offers a 12-month program for anyone its tertiary cyber-related qualification, at any level from a certificate III through to a masters degree, to enhance their cybersecurity skills. It includes two cyberexposure experiences that give participants real-world experience in what it's like to work in areas like instant response; network vulnerability assessment; threat simulation and discovery; and counterinfiltration. Along the way, participants get access to mentoring networking opportunities and guidance on applying for jobs after their studies. There is even generous financial support offered to help cover the cost of study. It's a great and innovative program, and a great stepping stone into a career in cybersecurity, with no obligation to work for the ADF or the government after you finish.

Let me tell you why spending the first few years of your career in cybersecurity, helping to protect Australia, is not just good for your country but is good for your career. We have world-leading cybercapability in Australia and much of it sits within our defence forces, in serving roles in the armed forces and, in addition, within the Australian Signals Directorate as part of the defence portfolio more broadly. In fact some of the world's best hackers work inside the Australian Signals Directorate, and we can be really proud of them. Go to any of the world's biggest hacking conferences, as I have done, talk to the people there and they will tell you the same. While in our defence forces or at the ASD you'll be able to do some of the most interesting work in cyber. Working at these institutions is a 'license to hack'. Working for the ADF or the ASD, you get to do things in cyber, legally, that you can't do anywhere else. And if the idea of hunting big game like international ransomware crews thrills you, there's no better place to do it.

Under the leadership of Director-General Rachel Noble and Head of the Australian Cyber Security Centre, Abigail Bradshaw, these places are keeping Australia's network safe and frustrating our adversaries through offensive operations. The fact that we currently have two women leading these important roles in our nation's cybersecurity sends a clear message that cybersecurity is a career for everyone. And while we have more work to do on this front, it's changing rapidly. As the ASD says, diversity powers our mission. Take up a career in cybersecurity in our defence forces.

Debate adjourned.

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