The
Government of Western Australia announced
that the federally funded, industry-led Australian Cyber Security Growth
Network (AustCyber) will be setting up a Western Australian Node at the
Joondalup Innovation Hub.
AustCyber’s
Western Australian Node will focus on critical infrastructure, cybercrime and
big data, drawing on existing strengths at Edith Cowan University, which is a
world-leader in cyber security research, and the local cyber security industry.
"It's
great to see a national organisation like AustCyber recognising the potential
of the Joondalup Innovation Hub and the great work already being done by Edith
Cowan University's cyber security school,” said Innovation and ICT Minister Dave Kelly.
The
Node will be officially launched mid-year with a GovPitch event, where
companies will be invited to pitch solutions to real-world problems facing the Western
Australian public sector. Recruitment of a local node leader is underway.
The New Industries Fund is providing
A$200,000 per year in funding over 4 years to support operations and staffing
at the Hub, partnering with AustCyber with A$50,000 per year of matched funding
to support the node.
"Local
Western Australian companies will benefit from the establishment of the Western
Australia Node through its alignment with AustCyber's national cyber security
innovation agenda and access to our programs,” said CEO of AustCyber Craig Davies.
"The
existing cyber security capability in Western Australia – particularly in
critical infrastructure and cyber forensics – is a real asset nationally.
Integrating the Node with the Joondalup Innovation Hub is a great way to
leverage and connect these initiatives,” he added.
AustCyber is a not-for-profit, industry-led
organisation which brings together businesses and researchers, providing access
to national networks to develop next generation products and services.
Launched
last year, the Joondalup
Innovation Hub is an initiative of the Western Australian Government’s New
Industries Fund to bring together the public, private and research sectors to
work in the area of cyber security, an area of existing strength for Western
Australia. The Hub is housed at Edith Cowan University, a principal partner in
the A$50 million Cyber
Security Cooperative Research Centre.
As reported
earlier, the New Industries Fund is a A$16.7 million initiative to support
and accelerate new and emerging businesses in Western Australia over four years.
It aims to support and grow local jobs by building on Western
Australia’s competitive advantages in sectors like agribusiness, life sciences,
tourism, resources, education and training, space, defence, digital data and
cybersecurity, both in Perth and in the regions.