Vic govt to spend $17.6m on cyber security strategy

The Victorian government will invest $17.6 million into the state’s first whole-of-government cyber security strategy.

The funding, drawn from the 2018-19 state budget handed down today, is part of a centralisation strategy for information security capabilities.

“In the past, individual agencies set their own security measures,” the state government said in a statement.

“This funding will ensure we have the strong cyber security capabilities we need to protect the delivery of public services across the whole of the government.”

The investment follows the October 2017 appointment of former ANZ Bank information and technology risk senior manager John O’Driscoll as the state’s first whole-of-government chief information security officer (CISO).

Some of the funding would go towards “assisting in attracting, developing and retaining skilled cyber security public sector workers”.

“Cyber security is crucial to our state - not only does it help us protect local businesses from cybercrime, but it's a growing industry that is becoming a big part of our economy,” Minister for innovation and the digital economy Philip Dalidakis said.

The Budget also included $2.6 million for the Office of the Victorian Information Commissioner “to better support government in protecting the privacy of Victorians.”