Tweet

Tim Watts MP

26 Mar, 7 tweets, 2 min read

What is going on inside the Morrison Government on cyber security policy? The short answer is after eight years it’s a complete mess. The long answer is too long for a tweet, but I spoke on it in Parliament this week 👇🧵
parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/genpd…

The Morrison Govt has been so engulfed by its own sleaze and scandals it’s been distracted from this important national security issue in the face of the Hafnium and SolarWinds campaigns.

When the Exchange vulnerability became public:
-The Defence Min. was on leave
-The Acting Defence Min., also the Min. for Women, was in hiding from the media.
-The Asst Defence Min. still hadn't received his charter letter 3 months after his appointment.
theaustralian.com.au/nation/politic…

We finally saw something on it on 10 March, a week after Microsoft’s public announcement, when Assistant Defence Minister Andrew Hastie issued a press release. It simply urged people to patch their systems and follow technical advice—too little, too late.

Still MIA is the international strategy they announced. 11 months since the govt began public consultations and nine months since public submissions closed, it still hasn't been released. dfat.gov.au/international-…

A DFAT disclosure on GrantConnect from June 2020 states that the public-facing strategy is scheduled to be released in late 2020. We're now three months after late 2020, and the strategy still hasn't been released. Where is it?

Australians deserve better in this important area of public policy. Labor in opposition is playing its part in cyber security policy having released discussion papers on national cyber resilience and ransomware. It's time the Morrison Govt did so too. theaustralian.com.au/nation/politic…

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More from @TimWattsMP

Tim Watts MP

@TimWattsMP

27 Mar

Things that Scott Morrison HASN’T sacked MPs for - a thread:

abc.net.au/4corners/insid…

smh.com.au/politics/feder…

Read 11 tweets

Tim Watts MP

@TimWattsMP

27 Mar

After 8 long years of Coalition government has decimated their front bench, this is what we are left with - Stuart Robert as the Minister with responsibility or cyber security.

A thread of the Master of Disaster’s tech policy highlights 🧵👇

That’s A LOT Of Internet

theguardian.com/australia-news…

That’s EVEN MORE Internet itnews.com.au/news/covidsafe…

Read 9 tweets

Tim Watts MP

@TimWattsMP

25 Mar

An impressive effort from Sussan Ley in her #qt Dorothy Dixer just then, telling the Parliament that the Morrison Govt would ‘soon’ be introducing an Online Safety Bill.

That would be the Bill that was debated and passed through the House of Representatives last Sitting Week.

It shows really commitment to the Morrison Government’s “always be announcing” ethos.

Continuing to do forward sizzle announcements for things that have already occurred really is impressive.

The Online Safety Bill that Sussan Ley promised would soon be introduced is currently in the Senate awaiting further amendments from the govt and a second reading debate there.

Read 4 tweets

Tim Watts MP

@TimWattsMP

13 Jul 20

@KKeneally

What do Ministers and Commonwealth entities do when the Prime Minister gives a press conference telling the nation to lift its game on cyber security?

Nothing apparently.

@KKeneally has written to Peter Dutton to ask why.

A thread 🧵👇

theaustralian.com.au/nation/politic…

Last month, the PM held a dramatic press conference to warn that a “sophisticated state-based cyber actor” was targeting organisations across Australia.

pm.gov.au/media/statemen…

The purpose the press conference was “to raise awareness of this important issue and to encourage organisations... to take expert advice and implement technical defences to thwart this malicious cyber activity.”

Read 18 tweets

Tim Watts MP

@TimWattsMP

19 May 20

This morning, the Joint Committee on Public Accounts and Audit held hearings for its Cyber Resilience Inquiry.

It was important and more interesting than it sounds.

I promise.

aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_…

The evidence we heard highlights serious and on-going issues with Commonwealth entities’ compliance with mandatory cyber security measures and the lack of accountability and transparency that enables it.

Believe it or not, there have been five ANAO reports on Cyber Resilience in Commonwealth agencies in the last six years and three JCPAA inquiries?

Why?

It’s a problem and there’s not much evidence that it’s getting better.

Read 24 tweets

Tim Watts MP

@TimWattsMP

22 Mar 19

Health experts argue that getting more kids to ride or walk to school each day is the single best thing we can do to fight chronic disease in Australia.

It’s great fun for the family too! #ride2school #melbswest

@bicycle_network

That’s why I sponsored healthy breakfasts and prize packs for kids who participated in @bicycle_network’s #Ride2School Day today!

Kids at Footscray City Primary School, Footscray Primary School, Footscray North Primary School, Altona Primary School & Point Cook P-9 College all took part and enjoyed a breakfast of fresh fruit from Masters Fresh Fruit Footscray Market & baked goods from Bakers Delight.

Read 5 tweets

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