David Van (Victoria, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Home Affairs and Minister for Cyber Security, Senator Watt. Minister, electric vehicles are crucial to reducing emissions and achieving our Paris targets. However, growingly, these vehicles are connected to the grid, posing a national security risk depending on their state of origin. The Australian Signals Directorate has released secure-by-design foundations to help technology manufacturers. As international standards move towards mandatory cybersecurity requirements, will the Australian government consider incorporating these secure-by-design principles into legislation and/or regulation as required?

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

Thanks, Senator Van, for the question. I am aware that Senator Van is a supporter of the increased rollout of electric vehicles, which is also something the Albanese government has worked hard to increase. We know that, fortunately, we now do have a government that believes in electric vehicles, unlike what we saw for 10 years. It turns out that electric vehicles do not end the weekend—who would have thought?—just as we never had $100 lamb roast or a number of the other scare campaigns that we saw for 10 years. We've moved beyond that, and we are now seeing electric vehicles roll out.

But Senator Van's question is a serious one. We obviously do take seriously any matter to do with national security, whether it is arising from these matters or anything else. Senator Van, you'd be aware that Australia has now passed significant reforms that will give Australians more choice around cleaner and cheaper cars. We're focused on giving Australians more choice. We will take advice from our security agencies on the matters that you've raised and we will follow that advice.

I have seen some claims recently by such eminent thought leaders on climate change as Mr Barnaby Joyce on these matters. He seems to be worried about imported batteries. The problem for the coalition is that, when we put forward the Future Made in Australia package, which included $500 million to develop a battery manufacturing industry here in Australia, they voted against that as well. They don't like imported batteries. They don't like homegrown batteries. They just don't really like batteries. And they certainly don't like a future and they don't like it being made in Australia. They just don't like anything. I don't really know what they like. They don't want batteries, they don't want electric cars, they don't want climate change—they don't want change. They just don't want a lot of things.

Senator Van, I know you are not in that category anymore, and we're happy to work with you further on these issues. (Time expired)

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

Senator Van, first supplementary?

David Van (Victoria, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Department of Home Affairs recently released the Protective Security Policy Framework that mandates that government entities identify and manage risks associated with foreign ownership, control or influence in their technology assets. Given the pervasiveness of devices connected to the Internet of Things, what else is the government doing to safeguard Australia's technology infrastructure, both large and small? (Time expired)

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

As you mentioned, there are a range of other issues arising when it comes to the security of newly developed devices, particularly when it comes to cybersecurity. The Albanese government is committed to keeping Australians safe and will make decisions based on our own interest and on the advice of our security agencies. Our government is monitoring the developments in the United States on connected vehicles, and the Department of Home Affairs here in Australia has been proactively engaging with the US government to understand the implications of any proposed regulation.

Connected vehicles are an important part of our transport infrastructure and will provide significant benefits to Australia, but they also collect significant amounts of data which can be accessed by malicious actors. The Australian government is bringing forward a range of measures under the 2023-2030 Australian Cyber Security Strategy to strengthen the nation's resilience against technology-related harms, and I'm sure that those consultations that are occurring with the US at the moment will add to that.

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

Senator Van, second supplementary?

David Van (Victoria, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Minister, for acknowledging what is happening in the US at the moment. I think they're seeing something that all countries should take notice of. But how will the Australian government address the risk from foreign-made vehicles, especially those that are autonomous but particularly those electric vehicles that we're going to need to meet our emissions targets?

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

As I say, we have these matters under active consideration at the moment and are in dialogue with the United States about them. Unfortunately, we don't have an Australian car industry anymore, just as we wouldn't have a battery industry if the coalition had its way either.

It is a little confusing to understand what the coalition's plan on this is because we have Mr Joyce out there saying that he doesn't like imported batteries while we've got the rest of them saying that they don't like homegrown batteries. We saw Senator McKenzie, the infrastructure and transport spokesperson for the coalition, saying that it's not the coalition's plan to ban Chinese-made vehicles. Maybe the coalition's plan is to have no vehicles at all. They don't want to ban Chinese vehicles. They don't want Australian-made vehicles. Maybe it's back to the horse-and-buggy days under the coalition. We certainly know that that's their approach when it comes to policy generally. But we'll be continuing to work on these cybersecurity matters.