The launch of a sector-wide cyber security strategy has cemented the industry as a key focus of the NSW Government.
The NSW Cyber Security Strategy brings industry development and government resiliency together for the first time to ensure the cyber security industry continues to thrive in NSW.
The strategy focuses on four key commitments including increasing NSW Government cyber resiliency, helping NSW cyber security businesses grow, enhancing the cyber security workforce and its skills, and supporting cyber security research and innovation.
Minister for Digital and Minister for Customer Service Victor Dominello said NSW is already leading the nation when it comes to cyber security.
"Last year alone we committed a record $240 million to bolster our internal cyber capacity, established a regional Cyber Security Hub in Bathurst, led the work of a ground-breaking industry standards taskforce and introduced SME targets for ICT expenditure across Government," Mr Dominello said.
"To realise our collective vision of becoming the cyber capital of the southern hemisphere, we need Government and industry working together - that's what this strategy seeks to achieve."
Minister for Jobs, Investment, Tourism and Western Sydney Stuart Ayres said the NSW Government is committed to partnering with the cyber sector to continue to grow and leverage the strengths of industry and academia to drive our international competitiveness.
"Under this strategy, Investment NSW will establish a NSW Cyber Hub, delivering a range of initiatives to accelerate the growth of NSW cyber businesses, maintain and attract the right talent to create the fluid, dynamic workforce needed to address skills gaps," Mr Ayres said.
"NSW already has an incredible depth of talent however we need to continue to foster, cultivate and grow this pipeline to ensure our industry thrives. This strategy builds on our strengths whilst seeking to grow new ones and will help the NSW digital economy thrive."
"The export opportunities for cyber security industry is enormous. From Bondi to Broken Hill, cyber security businesses can export to any location around the world from any city or town in NSW."
The Strategy will ensure the NSW Government continues to provide secure, trusted and resilient services in an ever-changing and developing environment whilst supporting the growth of an innovative NSW cyber industry to cement NSW as the leading state for cyber security in the Asia-Pacific region.
Public consultation and industry engagement finished in late 2020. The Strategy will replace the existing NSW Cyber Security Strategy and the NSW Cyber Industry Development Strategy, combining both into one overarching cyber security strategy.
The NSW Cyber Security Strategy is now live and can be viewed at Digital.NSW.
