James Paterson (Victoria, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Cyber Security) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Home Affairs, Senator Watt. On 13 October, Medibank released a statement confirming it had been subject to a cyberattack and that it was taking offline some data and policy systems to mitigate the impact on customers. On 19 October, a week after Medibank informed its customers, the Minister for Cyber Security issued a press release. Why did it take the minister a week to publicly respond to yet another significant cyberincident?

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Paterson, for your question. I don't monitor the Minister for Home Affairs's diary as closely as Senator Paterson seems to, but I can tell him that from the moment this breach was reported the Minister for Home Affairs and the government as a whole have taken action, just as we did in relation to the Optus breach.

This matter is under investigation by the relevant authorities, including the Australian Signals Directorate and the Australian Federal Police. It's exactly the same approach that we took in relation to the Optus breach, because we do take these issues seriously—unlike the former government, who spent 10 years doing very little about this. They did nothing to address the issue of penalties against corporations who fail to meet consumer expectations around data protection.

I know that now the Minister for Home Affairs and the government as a whole are working closely with Medibank Private to provide all the support possible to help resolve this situation and protect those customers who have been affected. Medibank Private is receiving ongoing technical advice and assistance from the relevant Australian government agencies, including, as I say, the Australian Signals Directorate and the AFP. The AFP has launched Operation Pallidus to investigate the Medibank Private data breach. Medibank Private advises that it has begun to make direct contact with affected customers and I encourage anyone who thinks they may be affected by this recent Medibank Private cyberincident to contact 134246. For Medibank Private customers, the number is 132331.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Paterson, first supplementary?

James Paterson (Victoria, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Cyber Security) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

When was the minister first informed of the attack?

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I don't think Senator Paterson would expect me to know that level of detail about another minister's operations, but I'm happy to take the question on notice. Again, what I do know is that the minister has been highly attentive to these issues, as she was in relation to the Optus data breach as well. Unlike the former government, we are taking serious action on privacy matters and data breaches by large corporations. We're introducing legislation just this week in only the sixth sitting of parliament—

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister Watt, please resume your seat. Senator Paterson.

James Paterson (Victoria, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Cyber Security) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam President, the point of order is on relevance. I asked the minister when the minister was informed of this attack and he said that he didn't know and that he would take it on notice. Everything he has added since then is not relevant to the question.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

He's entitled to continue. Thank you, Senator Paterson. He has taken it on notice. Minister Watt.

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It's interesting that Senator Paterson jumps the minute his own former government's record is called into question and that's because that record was so bad. Unlike the government that was led by those opposite, our government is working closely with businesses, the community and our international partners to progress initiatives that enhance Australia's response to cyberincidents and support a whole-of-nation uplift in cyber-resilience. We take these issues seriously. We're introducing legislation this week to strengthen penalties. (Time expired)

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Paterson, a second supplementary?

James Paterson (Victoria, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Cyber Security) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the minister for taking the previous question on notice and I look forward to the answer to that question. My second supplementary question is: when did the minister first speak to the CEO of Medibank to discuss this attack?

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'm happy to take that question on notice as well.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.