1 December 2023

Global developments have highlighted that cyber-attacks are accelerating at an ever-increasing pace and that targeting critical infrastructure has become a major part of conflict operations worldwide. In Russia’s war on Ukraine, for example, malicious cyber actors have repeatedly targeted critical communications, energy, health, and transport infrastructure to disrupt systems and destroy supply chains. This included attacks on Ukraine-allied partners like the EU and the US.

As a result, in December 2022, the Australian Government announced its intention to make Australia ‘the world’s most cyber secure nation by 2030’, with a new comprehensive 2023-2030 Australian Cyber Security Strategy said to be implemented the following year. The strategy was released on 22 November, a week after the Australian Signals Directorate (ASD) released its Cyber Threat Report 2022-23.

Based on the ASD’s threat report, nearly 94,000 reports of cybercrime have been reported in 2022-23, meaning an increase of 23% from the previous year. The average cost of these attacks to small, large, and medium businesses hereby increased by 14%.

The key security trends listed in the report are data theft and disruption of business by state actors focussed on critical infrastructure, with an increase of attacks on Australian infrastructure via interconnected systems. One in five critical vulnerabilities were reportedly exploited within 48 hours, highlighting the need for fast-response mechanisms to patch cyber security gaps.

The report further states that within the top ten reporting sectors, federal government recorded the highest incident rate at 30.7%, followed by state and local government at 12.9%.

The government’s newly released strategy aims to address these and other problem areas and anticipate future cyber security needs. According to Minister for Cyber Security Clare O’Neil, the strategy will be a game-changer for Australia’s cyber security, boldly and ambitiously offering a ‘clear vision for both domestic and international cyber security for the first time’.

To implement the strategy, the Australian government intends to spend more than $586.9 million all up. This will be in addition to the $2.3 billion already being invested in existing cyber security projects. The majority of funds will go towards the protection of businesses and citizens ($290.8m), the defence of critical infrastructure ($143.6m) and building cyber resilience in the region ($129.7m).

The strategy is built around ‘six shields’ of cybersecurity: strong businesses and citizens, safe technology, world-class threat sharing and blocking, protected critical infrastructure, sovereign capabilities, and a resilient region and global leadership.

In order to achieve these objectives, the government, among other things, intends to fund civil society cyber awareness programmes and expand its Digital-ID programme to reduce the risk to individuals online. To increase the resilience of businesses, it plans to create a ‘ransomware playbook’ for reference (rather than straight up banning companies from making ransomware payments) and establish a compulsory ‘no-fault reporting scheme’.

The latter is aimed at building trust, as, despite significant breaches at major Australian companies over the last few years, the government is still ‘struggling to overcome resistance by many Australian companies facing a cyber-attack to work with the [signals] directorate to help defeat intrusions’. This is mainly due to the companies’ fear of damage to their reputation as well as fears of possible fines or customer class action. To establish trust between businesses and government agencies such as the ASD, the government proposes to establish a ‘safe harbour’ regime. This, according to Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles, would ‘deliver the world-class capabilities of the Australian Signals Directorate to the affected company’ as well as ‘shield companies from further legal action by the government’ as long as they complied with the regulation. To make government-industry cooperation more effective, the government further announced the release of a Consultation Paper on intended cooperation with industry to supplement the strategy. The consultation period will last until March 2024, with the paper aiming to be released later that year.

Further measures outlined by the strategy include increased efforts to attract more highly skilled migrants – by means of migration reforms and a new global outreach program – and working more closely with international partners for more effective threat sharing and blocking mechanisms. This includes joint Quad initiatives. In addition to a global outreach, the strategy further stresses the necessity to build up Australia’s sovereign capabilities.

Another important change mentioned is the re-classification of telecommunication as ‘critical infrastructure’. This means operators will need to report on their cyber security measures in the same way as hospitals, energy providers and ports.

The strategy will be implemented in three stages. Horizon 1, from 2023-25, will focus on the strengthening of foundations, i.e. addressing gaps, building up protection for the most vulnerable groups, and supporting a more general ‘cyber maturity uplift’. Horizon 2, from 2026-28, will focus on industry, increasing investment and growing the cyber workforce. Horizon 3, 2029-30, will focus on future resilience and ‘advancing the global frontier’. This includes the development of emerging technologies to be able to adapt to new risks.

The Home Affairs website states that the government is ‘delivering tangible action on the cyber security issues that matter most to Australian communities and businesses’, ‘shifting cyber from a technical topic to whole-of-nation endeavour’. However, in a first statement on the strategy, Shadow Cyber Security Minister James Paterson criticised it as a ‘major flop’ that contained ‘nothing radical or revolutionary […] nor anything that will substantially shift the dial on cyber security’. The Greens meanwhile released a media statement labelling the strategy as ‘disappointing’ and ‘lacking on specific actions’.

Regarding the latter comment, it needs to be noted that the strategy is supplemented by the ‘Cyber Security Strategy Action Plan’, outlining the key initiatives commencing in the Horizon 1 phase. This includes accountabilities for each measure and identifies the respective agencies in lead and supporting roles. At the same time, the strategy not being radical might mean that its objectives and targets are more achievable.

Professor Johanna Weaver, founding Director of the Tech Policy Design Centre at the Australian National University, labelled the strategy an ‘ambitious plan’ that was ‘very comprehensive and much needed’. The strategy is certainly comprehensive, but some argue that, unless legislation follows the strategy, there remains a lack of ‘mandated standards and enforcement mechanisms’. Ultimately, as with any strategy, a conclusive verdict will depend on the strategy’s implementation.

Ministers for the of Home Affairs Website

Minister for Home Affairs, Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs, Minister for Emergency Management.​​​

Department of Home Affairs Website

Home Affairs brings together Australia’s federal law enforcement, national and transport security, criminal justice, emergency management, multicultural affairs, settlement services and immigration and border-related functions, working together to keep Australia safe.

‘Gamechanger’: Government unveils new Cyber Strategy – ABC listen

The Government will invest more than half a billion dollars towards six national cyber shields, as part of its cyber strategy to 2030.

New strategy reveals how the government plans to tackle growing cyber crime

A ransomware playbook for small businesses and attracting migrants with cyber expertise are some of the ways Australia will look to bolster its cybersecurity, according to a new federal government plan.

Towards national cyber resilience: What to expect from the 2023–2030 Australian Cyber Security Strategy

The imminent 2023–2030 Australian Cyber Security Strategy (the Strategy) will chart Australia’s path to becoming “the world’s most cyber secure country by 2030”, according to the Minister for Cyber Security and Home Affairs, the Hon. Clare O’Neil. As the Minister notes, the fact that “every aspect of our lives – social, economic, and cultural – is underpinned by digital connectivity” makes the success of this Strategy critical.

Strap in for cyber-secure Australian life – by 2030

The Federal Government will spend almost $600 million to combat cyber crime, unveiling its long-awaited Cyber Security Strategy. Cyber security Minister Clare O’Neil says it will make Australia a world leader in cybersecurity by 2030.

Government hits back at cybercriminals with $600m boost

Businesses will face a no-fault, no-liability reporting obligation to report ransomware attacks, while a new investigative body will probe cyberattacks

Cyber strategy another media release in search of funds and concrete action | Australian Greens

The release of the 2023-2030 Australian Cyber Security Strategy has been a disappointing continuation of the pattern of Australia steadily lagging behind the rest of the world in response to the enormous risks posed by cyber attacks.

Forgiveness or punishment? The government’s proposed ‘safe harbour’ laws send mixed messages on cyber security

The Australian government has promised to crack down on companies that aren’t prepared to defend themselves against cyber crime, but their proposed new laws may offer those same businesses a reprieve.

Australia’s watered-down cybersecurity regime is laughable

Despite ballooning cyber intrusions and rampant data breaches, scams and identity theft, policymakers and ministers have continued to rely on voluntary efforts.

Labor commits 587m to bolster cyber defences

Subscribe to The Australian to get unrestricted digital access, home paper delivery, Apps for iPad and Android, member only +Rewards and much more…

Australia’s new cybersecurity strategy tackles the tough issues | The Strategist

The cybersecurity strategy released last week by the Albanese government is about collaboration and communication, not about conjuring our worst national-security nightmares. It’s focused on industry and consumers. The government, industry and citizens must work together with…

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02 March 2023

‘The increasingly interconnected nature of critical infrastructure exposes vulnerabilities that could result in significant consequences to our security, economy and sovereignty. We need to ensure our critical infrastructure security arrangements keep pace with the evolving threat environment and continue to deliver the essential services we all rely on.’

The Hon. Clare O’Neil

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Minister for Home Affairs and Cyber Security Clare O’Neil hosted a special roundtable on cyber security this week, promising an overhaul of the $1.7 billion cyber security plan instituted by the Morrison government. Participants included leaders from intelligence agencies, the public service, and independent experts from industry and civil society groups, highlighting the government’s determination to apply a whole-of-nation approach to cyber security.

Severe cyber-attacks on Australian telecommunications company Optus and Medibank Health Insurance in 2022, re-ignited the debate on the cyber security of Australian businesses and kick-started discussions about companies’ storage of personal data for longer than actually necessary. One result of this increased political interest in cyber security was the government’s legislating amendments to the Security of Critical Infrastructure Act 2018, i.e. the Security Legislation Amendment (Critical Infrastructure Protection) Act 2022, to include the so-called Risk Management Program (RMP) obligation.

This came into force on 21 February 2023 and includes an amended list of obligations for businesses and new inclusions in the list of critical assets. Among other things, the RMP ‘requires responsible entities to consider the hazards they may face as a business, and take tangible steps to manage risks to operations of critical infrastructure assets’. It will make ‘board members culpable for failure to properly secure assets’ and covers companies across sectors.

In addition to the RMP, the government launched an updated Critical Infrastructure Resilience Strategy, providing a roadmap for protecting essential services and assets, accompanied by a Critical Infrastructure Resilience Plan, determining how the Strategy’s objectives will be achieved.

In answer to an increased risk of ransomware attacks, the government also announced the setting up of an International Counter Ransomware Task Force that would sit under the umbrella of the US-led Counter Ransomware Initiative, with the aim to ‘disrupt, combat and defend against the increasing ransomware threat’ and ‘enable sustained and impactful international collaboration’. The task force, chaired by Australia, commenced operations in January 2023.

In December 2022, the government further announced the appointment of an expert advisory board to lead the development of strategic advice to the Minister for Home Affairs and Cyber Security regarding the design of a national Cyber Security Strategy 2023-2030. To this end, it appointed three Expert Leads, including Andrew Penn, former CEO of Telstra, Air Marshal Mel Hupfeld AO DSC, former Chief of Air Force, and Rachael Falk, CEO of the Cyber Security Cooperative Research Centre. Once in force, the national strategy, as declared by O’Neil, would aim to make Australia ‘the world’s most cyber secure country by 2030’.

Immediate and Proposed Future Measures

‘Any successful [cyber] strategy must be national in scope, enduring, affordable, achievable, and allow for flexibility to account for changes in the dynamic cyber environment out to 2030.’ – Andy Penn, fmr CEO of Telstra

The expert advisory board released its first findings in a Cyber Security Strategy Discussion Paper this week. Among other things, it recommends further legislation amendments and an expansion of the critical assets list, with Minister O’Neil previously having criticised legislation instituted under Morrison as ‘bloody useless, not worth the ink printed on the paper when it came to actually using it in a cyber incident’ and ‘poorly drafted.’

One such amendment, suggested for consideration in the discussion paper, is reforming ‘the Security of Critical Infrastructure Act to possibly include customer data and “systems” in the definition of critical infrastructure’, as well as the establishment of a ‘new Cyber Security Act that would impose new obligations and standards across industry and government’. Another measure proposed by the paper is the expansion of the Australian Signals Directorate (ASD)’s authority to commandeer businesses’ IT systems in case of a cyber attack.

Other proposals include ‘strengthening Australia’s international strategy on cyber security’ by ‘boosting assistance to south-east Asian and Pacific countries’ and ‘leading by example’, referring to the fact that the majority of government entities currently ‘have a long way to go to properly secure government systems’. After all, a government that is perceived as unable to protect its own systems is not going to be trusted to be able to protect its citizens.

With the release of the discussion paper, the Albanese government also announced a series of measures to be implemented immediately.

The attacks on Optus and Medibank, according to O’Neil, had highlighted the need for an emergency response function within government. Therefore, the government will establish a National Cyber Office under the Home Affairs Department, designed to lead the emergency response to future cyber threats. The office will be led by a newly appointed Coordinator for Cyber Security, who will ‘provide some strategy and structure and spine’ to the work that is being done, including making sure that the billions of dollars that are being invested in cyber security each year are being spent in a ‘strategic and appropriate’ way, and ‘manage cyber incidents in a proper, seamless strategic way across the Australian Government’.

The position is currently being advertised, with the government hoping to fill the role within the next month. Part of the new coordinator’s job will be to establish an emergency response plan.

Prime Minister’s Cyber Security Roundtable | Prime Minister of Australia

Today the Prime Minister led a Cyber Security Roundtable, focused on the whole-of-nation effort required to protect Australians and our economy, with the aim of making Australia the most cyber secure nation by 2030.

Opening remarks – Cyber Security Roundtable | Prime Minister of Australia

ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Welcome everyone. I begin by acknowledging the traditional owners of the land on which we meet and pay my respects to elders past, present, and emerging.

Department of Home Affairs Website

Home Affairs brings together Australia’s federal law enforcement, national and transport security, criminal justice, emergency management, multicultural affairs, settlement services and immigration and border-related functions, working together to keep Australia safe.

Cyber agency to fight hackers

The Saturday Paper web app

Albanese government to appoint Coordinator for Cyber Security, amid increasing threat to systems and data

The new coordinator will be backed up by a National Office for Cyber Security in the Home Affairs department

Federal government to rewrite cyber laws after Optus, Medibank hacks

Australia’s home affairs minister says the nation’s cyber laws were “bloody useless” during the Optus hack, as the federal government announces an overhaul of cyber policy.

Government could take over companies’ IT systems after hack

New proposals could give the Australian Signals Directorate power to directly take over the IT system of any Australian company in the event of a hack.

Australian cybersecurity to get national supervisor in wake of hack attacks

The government will announce the new post on Monday when it assembles business and government leaders for a meeting that aims to step up defences in corporate and public systems.

Ministers for the Department of Home Affairs Website

Minister for Home Affairs, Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs, Minister for Emergency Management.​​​

Businesses face new $9b cybersecurity requirements

The government will require companies operating critical infrastructure to demonstrate they are meeting new baseline standards, with directors to be held accountable.

APRA warns super funds and trustees of cyber risk crackdown

The watchdog plans to test all funds’ capabilities to respond to cyber threats, warning trustees would be held accountable if insufficiently focused on the issue.

Ministers for the Department of Home Affairs Website

Minister for Home Affairs, Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs, Minister for Emergency Management.​​​

Cyber and Infrastructure Security Centre Website

Protecting Australia’s Cyber and Infrastructure Security.​​​

Ministers for the Department of Home Affairs Website

Minister for Home Affairs, Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs, Minister for Emergency Management.​​​

The post Australia’s Cyber Security Overhaul appeared first on Periscope.

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Disclaimer: The views expressed in these articles do not necessarily reflect KAS Australia’s position. Rather, they have been selected to present an overview of the various topics and perspectives which have been dominating the public and political debate in Australia and the Pacific region.

INTRODUCTION

2020 is coming to a close and many of us in in the foreign policy and (national) security space may be reflecting back also on the key events of this tumultuous year. As a year marked by staggering impact of the pandemic, the upheavals created by the Trump presidency and his ensuing election loss, Australia’s deteriorating relationship with China, 2020 was not necessarily flanked by too many optimistic takes on world events. Yet, as the US is holding out for the Biden presidency to usher in a new chapter for the country, we also hold high hopes for 2021.

On this positive note, we send you warm Christmas greetings from the KAS Australia and Pacific Team and best wishes for a hopefully less turbulent 2021. In keeping with the customary Australian summer break over January, we will be back with our snapshot analysis the beginning of February 2021.

As one commentator so aptly wrote this week,

” Surely, the zeitgeist for 2020 has to be the sourdough. In February, before lockdown happened, I started my own sourdough

starter. For those in the know, sourdough starter takes a month or so to cultivate before it is ready to bake bread. The act of creating something with your own hands and the meditative effect of kneading the dough gives back some of the power that the lockdown took away.

To our family and friends in the Northern hemisphere facing a second

wave and a winter like no other, keep Zooming and keep baking.

FOREIGN AND SECURITY POLICY

“If the Rules-Based Order didn’t exist today, we’d have to invent it” Julie Bishop

The 2020 KONRAD-ADENAUER LECTURE, delivered by the Hon Julie Bishop – Chancellor, Australian National University and former Foreign Minister of Australia- constituted a key highlight for KAS Australia and the Pacific this year. Under the title ‘Multilateralism and Regional Cooperation in Times of Global Crises: Australia and Europe and the International Order’, Ms Bishop discussed key ingredients for a secure, open, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific based on the Rules-based International Order.

Against the backdrop of an international order under strain, the lecture specifically focused on the kind of international engagement that is needed to move forward as the pandemic has revealed systemic weaknesses in the international order and a long –simmering backlash to ‘hyper-globalization’.  Ms Bishop highlighted that the rules-based order can only be maintained and strengthened through sustained commitment and ‘brave, unconditional leadership’.  

Encouragingly, a recent move by Australia to refer its clash with China over barley imports to the WHO for international dispute resolution is seen by some as a step towards building renewed confidence in the legitimacy and integrity of this order. As one expert commented:

“In commencing a formal dispute, Australia also sends a firm but

dignified message – that it is willing to use international rules and

procedures to solve grievances.”

This shows that – as the Covid-19 pandemic has only highlighted the vulnerabilities inherent in global interdependencies and intensified existing debates about greater resilience, autonomy and various forms of diversification and decoupling,both Australia and Europe are seeking to take an increasingly active role in shaping the international system.

A second highlight for us was A DIALOGUE WITH THE DEFENCE MINISTERS OF AUSTRALIA AND GERMANY:“The Indo-Pacific: Geostrategic Challenges and Opportunities for Australia and Germany”

Here, KAS Australia and the Pacific, in partnership with the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI), brought together The Honourable Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, Federal Minister of Defence, Germany and Senator the Honourable Linda Reynolds CSC, Minister for Defence, Australia for a hybrid dialogue on the strategic outlook in the Indo-Pacific and the potential of Australian–German Defence relations.

In light of the recently released German Government Policy Guidelines on the Indo-Pacific and the Australian Government’s Strategic Update 2020, the Ministers discussed their countries’ respective approaches to a rapidly evolving strategic environment. The topic of European engagement in the Indo-Pacific also continues to be of interest in Australia, with several articles over the last few weeks that delve deeper into what this may look like.

ASPI Presents – The Indo-Pacific: Geostrategic challenges and opportunities for Australia and Germany

A dialogue with the Defence Ministers of Australia and Germany The Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) in partnership with Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS) present ‘The Indo-Pacific: Geostrategic challenges and opportunities for Australia and Germany’ with the Honourable Annegret Kramp-Karre…

What’s behind China’s bullying of Australia? It sees a soft target — and an essential one

China’s attacks on Australia may seem over the top, but they are meant to achieve specific goals — playing to a nationalist domestic audience and making an example of Australia to the world.

Australia’s multilateralism à la carte is failing people in humanitarian contexts | The Strategist

Much has been written about the changing international order and the ‘crisis’ of multilateralism in recent months. The winds of change have been howling, indeed. International treaties and the multilateral system, with the United Nations …

Taking China to the World Trade Organisation plants a seed. It won’t be a quick or easy win

A formal resolution off Australia’s complaint about Chinese barley tariffs will likely take years. But at least it starts a structured process for dialogue.

The outlines of a European policy on the Indo-Pacific

Germany and the Netherlands have new strategies for the Indo-Pacific, and maybe the beginnings of a common EU stance.

Britain tilts towards the Indo-Pacific | The Strategist

Last month, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced a £16.5 billion (A$29 billion) increase in funding for the British Armed Forces, on top of an increase of 0.5% above inflation per year announced in the …

CYBERSECURITY

The Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted not only the interconnectedness of the world but also the associated vulnerabilities. Even before, it has been argued that greater cooperation and multilateral engagement are necessary on a broader geopolitical level. Our events on cybersecurity this year were built around

multilateral and multi-stakeholder engagement and the potential for

increasing cooperation as the COVID-19 pandemic has widened the attack surface for cyber operations. Discussions

focused on global cyber norms, joint responses to large-scale cyber incidents and the EU’s toolkit  as well as emerging technologies and issues of Digital Autonomy for Australia and Europe.

These issues will be of ongoing relevance next year, New Zealand for example has just published its views on how international law applies to cyber operations which addresses important points of sovereignty, due diligence and collective countermeasures. Likewise, the European Union has just released its new Cybersecurity Strategy which is supposed to “allow the EU to step up leadership on international norms and standards in cyberspace, and to strengthen cooperation with partners around the world to promote a global, open, stable and secure cyberspace, grounded in the rule of law, human rights, fundamental freedoms and democratic values. “

At KAS, we see tremendous value in comparative analyses and an exchange of perspectives – especially when there are diverging approaches on a certain issue. In particular, one key objective of our cybersecurity focus is to assess how and why Australia and Germany/Europe may take similar or different approaches, looking at the varied circumstances they may encounter in specific areas.

Should Australia be buying border-security technology from China’s Nuctech? | The Strategist

The subsidiary of a Chinese defence conglomerate nicknamed ‘the Huawei of airport security’ is increasingly dominant in border-control and security-screening technologies globally. Last month, Canada’s foreign affairs department backflipped on its plan to buy security …

Censorship risks and electoral impact: Australia’s major parties need to drop WeChat | The Strategist

Scott Morrison demanded three things in his emotionally charged press conference about ‘that tweet’ last week. One: an apology, two: that the Chinese government remove foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian’s post, and three: that Twitter …

The Application of International Law to State Activity in Cyberspace

1. New Zealand supports an international rules-based system that promotes an open, secure, stable, accessible and peaceful online environment and encourages responsible state behaviour in cyberspace.

Not just complacency: why people are reluctant to use COVID-19 contact-tracing apps

New Zealanders will travel more during the summer period and it is more important than ever to use the contact-tracing app to improve our chances of controlling any potential outbreaks.

TERRORISM/COUNTER-TERRORISM

Our thematic focus in 2020 was centred on capturing recent developments in the extremism space following

the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and the consequences, especially in the form of socio-political fissures and identity politics, this may have on national security dynamics.

The Christchurch attack can be seen as a catalyst for bringing the danger from far right extremism into sharper focus. This is especially salient for Australia, the home country of Brenton Tarrant, where security agencies are becoming increasingly attuned to the presence and threat posed by white supremacist ideologies. there have been quite a few developments in this space lately, captured in the below articles.

‘A threat to Australia’: experts welcome inquiry’s focus on rise of rightwing extremism

There is no silver bullet to counter terrorism and as threats change, we must evolve to counter them, academic says

Far-right groups have used COVID to expand their footprint in Australia. Here are the ones you need to know about

New far-right groups have emerged during the pandemic and existing groups have become more radicalised and increased their memberships.

Christchurch shooter was active with Australian far-right groups online but escaped police attention

Inquiry details how gunman expressed support for Australian extremist in Facebook posts and engaged with neo-Nazi groups’ social media

The Christchurch commission’s call to improve social cohesion is its hardest — and most important — recommendation

The 800-page report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Christchurch terror attacks ultimately asks New Zealanders to look to themselves to prevent such an atrocity happening again.

Alleged neo-Nazi teenager charged with terrorism offences in NSW to remain behind bars

Tyler Jakovac did not apply for bail in Albury court and is scheduled to return to court in Sydney in February

Al-Qaeda: The core problem

The killing of senior terrorist Abu Mohammed al-Masri on a Tehran street raises questions about al-Qaeda’s ties to Iran.

A Counter-Terrorism Agenda

Security Union: A Counter-Terrorism Agenda and stronger Europol to boost the EU’s resilience

The post FOREIGN AND SECURITY POLICY: 2020 HIGHLIGHTS AND LOOKING AHEAD appeared first on Periscope.

Disclaimer:The views expressed in these articles do not necessarily reflect the position of KAS Australia and the Pacific. Rather, they have been selected to present an overview of the various topics and perspectives which have been dominating the public and political debate in the Australia-Pacific region.

“…the populations across the Indo-Pacific, Europe and North America are looking rather consistent in wanting alternatives to a world or region dominated by the kind of Chinese state we see now.”

Michael Shoebridge, ‘The Quad is for 2020′, October 2020

“…the populations across the Indo-Pacific, Europe and North America are looking rather consistent in wanting alternatives to a world or region dominated by the kind of Chinese state we see now.”

Michael Shoebridge, ‘The Quad is for 2020′, October 2020

“The Indo-Pacific concept which now lies at the heart of Australia’s foreign policy… is not just a new way of reading the map. It is a vision of Asia’s strategic and diplomatic future. It imagines that countries right across a vast region stretching ‘from Hollywood to Bollywood’ will stand united and work together to contain China.”

Hugh White, Professor of Strategic Studies at the Australian National University in February 2020

“Australia will need to find new, like-minded partners to push back against China and compensate for any decline in US relative power…The path for Australia might sound refreshingly simple and uncontentious. But it raises serious questions.” Jonathan Pearlman, Editor’s Note to ‘Friends, Allies and Enemies’,

Australian Foreign Affairs October 2020

“[T]he four-letter swap from ‘Asia-” to “Indo- is a starting-point, not a solution.” Catriona Corby, ‘Stepping Past the Fatalism Trap’

Lowy Interpreter, October 2020

As global power and wealth have been shifting towards Asia, Australia and increasingly also Europe, are faced with the challenge of how to respond. This is connected to debates about what kinds of alliances, partnerships and collaborative constellations are needed to balance Chinese ambitions.

The Australian government in particular has a vested interest in shaping a safer region, but based on rules and cooperation. The touchstone concept for this of course is the geostrategic construct of the Indo-Pacific. As Rory Medcalf, Head of the National Security College at the Australian National University highlighted in his ‘Contest for the Indo-Pacific: Why China Won’t Map the Future’, “the term Indo-Pacific is a message to a rising China that it cannot expect others to accept its self-image as the centre of the region and the world.”

In this vision, for Australia the Indo-Pacific seeks to provide a counter-weight to Chinese influence by emphasizing “inclusion and solidarity” between middle powers, and continued cooperation and buy-in from the US. Another such effort to define and shape the emerging regional power system is the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QUAD) between Australia, India.

The recent QUAD meetings, held in the past fortnight, reflect these objectives. As an example, the trade ministers of Japan, India and Australia are in the early stages of collaboration toward achieving supply chain resilience in the Indo-Pacific region, with the aim of countering China’s trade dominance. This is progress and a reflection of the good intentions and hard work to unite around key issues. But as one commentator cynically remarked last year, both the Quad and the Indo-Pacific “suffer from the significant defect that key members aren’t sure about the meaning of the new club”.

And the pandemic has certainly acted as a unifying force, with some expecting that Quad cooperation will deepen as partner countries across the region are driven by a renewed sense of urgency to counter the increasingly overt agenda for the region as seen by the Chinese Communist Party.

Accordingly, there are still big questions about exactly how Australia will use trade and strategic partnerships across the Indo-Pacific area to balance Chinese-US jostling. At the meetings between the defence and foreign ministers of Australia and the US (AUSMIN) in July, Australia did not openly join the US’ in an escalating US-China rivalry that is often described as a ‘new Cold War’. Commentators observed that even though Australia was not following the US’ line, this did not spell an easy solution to the tensions inherent in efforts to define relationship within the region amidst the changing international geopolitical order

Equally, a similar debate is occurring between partners around another ocean. As the German Defence Minister Annegret Kamp Karrenbauer observed in a contribution for the Carnegie Endowment, “transatlanticism—a robust worldview based on human rights, democracy, and open markets—has been a core pillar of the rules-based international order that is under so much duress at the moment”. Yet, this pillar is also under strain and the United States and Europe are aware of the urgent need to review and reorient their longstanding trade, foreign policy and security cooperation. As another analysis put it,“if the transatlantic relationship is to endure as a lynchpin of the democratic world, it must evolve. Even if the United States and Europe could recover the relationship of years past, it wouldn’t be fit to the purposes the allies will face in the years to come.”

For Defence Minister Kramp-Karrenbauer, this requires a specific German commitment: “Today, the German question is whether Germany can become a protector of the wider West, that is to say, of any country subscribing to and acting upon Western principles and values. Transatlantic relations can only be in full bloom and at maximum impact if Germany can complete its path toward being a much bigger force multiplier for the West, for NATO, and for the EU.”

Overall, rhetoric and action are said to not be sufficiently aligned yet to be able to usher in new and strengthened partnerships. In the Indo-Pacific, this means needing to go beyond a ‘hub and spokes model’, whether that be through bi-, multi-or mini-lateral ties. In reality, ‘like-mindedness’ takes work, and many are pointing out that decreasing aid and the funding of diplomatic efforts is not the way to achieve stronger bonds. For now, when it comes to defining roles and regional relationship amidst the changing geopolitical order, the overarching consensus seems to be that much creativity is required to chart a new course – in both oceans.

Four allies met to discuss an increasingly aggressive Beijing. Only one dared speak China’s name

Amid simmering tensions with Beijing, four regional allies that make up the Quad come together. But the meeting reveals Australia, the US, India and Japan have very different ideas on how to tackle a rising China, writes Jake Sturmer.

A Quad of consequence: Balancing values and strategy

The four-way gathering in Tokyo offers a chance to set out a vision for regional stability in the post-Covid order.

The Quad was made for 2020 | The Strategist

The ‘Quad’ meeting of Indian, Japanese, US and Australian foreign ministers in Tokyo earlier this week has resulted in the usual suspects saying the usual things. China’s foreign ministry expressed outrage and called on these …

Stepping past the fatalism trap

If Australia wants to shape rather than be shaped by a fast-changing world, creative diplomacy is essential.

Foreign Minister Payne flies out for Quad diplomacy

What a relief it must have been for Australia’s Foreign Minister, Marise Payne to step on a plane earlier this week. Having been grounded for much of the past six months, (her only other trip being…

A budget of skewed priorities

As Australia faces one of the most challenging international environments in a century, it still skimps on diplomacy.

What Could a Twenty-First-Century Transatlanticism Look Like? – Reimagining Transatlantic Relations

The litmus test for both U.S. and European policymakers will be how to readjust and rebuild a partnership that has served both sides so well for decades so that it is equally prepared to manage tomorrow’s challenges.

Four Game-Changing Challenges Facing Transatlantic Security – Reimagining Transatlantic Relations

For decades, transatlanticism—a robust worldview based on human rights, democracy, and open markets—has been a core pillar of the rules-based international order that is under so much duress at the moment. If one is in trouble, the other one will feel the pain, and vice versa.

Friends, Allies and Enemies

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1st Australian-German 1.5 Track Cyber Security Dialogue

“Mapping the Field: The New Ecology of Cyber Security Challenges”

We are very pleased to publish this analysis paper as a result of the first Australian-German 1.5 Track Cyber Security Dialogue, held in Canberra in June 2018. The Dialogue was a joint undertaking between the Department of Security Studies and Criminology (SSC) at Macquarie University and the Regional Programme Australia and the Pacific of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation. It brought together policy makers, government officials, business leaders and academics from Australia and Germany. The goal was to discuss the most pressing cyber security challenges and identify areas for further bilateral cooperation in this area.

The recommendations of the high-level Australia Germany Advisory Group (AGAG) set out the intensification of strategic dialogue and cooperation as a clear goal for our two countries. The Konrad
Adenauer Foundation, being mentioned in the AGAG’s progress report, certainly tries to contribute to this via different platforms for knowledge exchange and discussion together with its Australian partners: the already well-established annual Europe-Australia Counter Terrorism Dialogue for example, its Energy Security Dialogue and now adding the dialogue on cyber security. Macquarie University has put a major emphasis on cyber security-related research and teaching programs, including the establishment of the Optus Macquarie University Cyber Security Hub, a $10million joint investment with Optus to tackle real world cyber security challenges. For many years, SSC has taught undergraduate and postgraduate cyber security programs. The department has also been a proud partner of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) in the delivery of international cyber security engagement projects.

It is a fact that cross-border cyber threats are real, with major ramifications for national security. This means that we are facing manifold challenges emanating from the information and cyber domain. Cyberspace is an evolving ecosystem and threat landscape which has effects on the foreign policy of our countries and the global security architecture in general.

Fighting cyber-related financial fraud, cybercrime and security threats in the digital age requires new ways of thinking, new technologies, and a new digital ecosystem to tackle evolving risks. The questions at stake here are:

• How do we to protect ourselves against cyber attacks on critical infrastructure?
• How do we develop global cyber norms?
• How can we contribute to the evolution of cyber security policies?

Ensuring cyber security has thus turned into a central challenge for governments, the private sector and society, both at the national as well as the international level. And only a concerted response across all those sectors can guarantee success. Indeed, too often cyber security challenges are still treated as a predominantly technical problem, requiring a technical solution. While the technological dimension is certainly important, arguably the political, regulatory and societal frameworks are equally, if not more, critical to address the multi-dimensional aspects of cyber security. For instance, in times of major power shifts in the international systems, increasing great power rivalry, the struggle to stem the erosion of Europe, efforts to develop and implement effective international ‘rules of the road’ are facing significant challenges. Both Australia and Germany have been driving forces in international cyber diplomacy but have to keep the momentum.

Our conference addressed crucial aspects of contemporary cyber security challenges, ranging from the geopolitical level and questions about the shifting global order and international cyber norms to military cyber operations, private sector/industry perspectives, as well as the challenges of building the cyber workforce of the future. We were honoured by the presence and support of the keynote speaker, Dr. Tobias Feakin, Australia’s Ambassador for Cyber Affairs at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, who delivered the official opening address and also contributed to the panel on ‘tackling the international cyber norm crisis’.

The Dialogue succeeded in identifying common cyber security interests between our two nations. Indeed, in a more fragile and uncertain world, like-minded, medium-sized powers such as Australia and Germany need to work even closer together to create a workable international cyber security framework and learn from each other’s ‘best practice’. The discussions also vividly demonstrated the vast untapped potential for much deeper Australia-German cyber security cooperation. Cyberspace does not break down geographical distances when it comes to practical cooperation. Therefore, creating habits of regular bilateral cyber cooperation will be crucial and it is hoped the next iterations of the dialogue will assist in this endeavour.

Prof. Benjamin Schreer
Head, Department of Security Studies and Criminology, Macquarie University

Dr. Beatrice Gorawantschy
Director Regional Programme Australia and the Pacific, Konrad Adenauer Stiftung

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The articles in this compilation – some are structured analysis pieces, some constitute more personal yet substantive reflections – were deliberately kept diverse in style, format and content to reflect a variety of perspectives and approaches. They were collected throughout 2019 and reflect dynamics at the time of writing (indicated above each contribution) –they were not intended to capture the most up-to-date developments. The only request to the authors was for them to offer their thoughts on what they perceived as an important issue or angle to the contemporary cybersecurity landscape. Interestingly, what stood out during the compilation process was that as a whole, the contributions seemed organically connected by the implied acknowledgement that an area of key importance is the way data is governed; this is due to its impact on our collective and individual freedoms, especially in an era of democratic disenchantment and contested global governance.

Titled the “Convergence Puzzle”, this edited volume is framed by a conceptualization of cyberspace as a realm of converging and diverging forces and interests: technological, social, political, economic, institutional, cultural, ideational/ideological and strategic. These co-exist, compete and act upon each other – forming a complex ecosystem of dynamic, interlinked threat and opportunity vectors. As such, this overarching theme is premised on the recognition that viewing cybersecurity as a mainly technological matter would be reductionist and fail to capture the complexity of a space created and shaped by humans. Acknowledging the extent to which technology is used as a (geo)political and strategic tool, it is better viewed as a vehicle or force enabler/multiplier for human interests, in particular political, economic and strategic goals.

A further premise of this volume is that technology is not neutral but can act as a corrosive force for liberal values; as current developments show, technology is in fact being actively used to undermine democratic systems. With global powershifts manifesting in competing political models that seek to challenge the liberal order, ‘doing cybersecurity’ should hence include addressing questions of sovereignty, governmental/institutional overreach, transparency and accountability. Accordingly, what makes the space of emerging cyber dynamics a puzzle rather than just a tangle of non-linear causes and effects is the overarching goal of working out and managing the relationship between these forces in a way that aligns with the bigger picture: to make them converge in a manner that strengthens rather than undermines the foundations of liberal orders – both domestically and at the international/multilateral level. Consequently, the ‘convergence puzzle’ seeks to serve as a reminder of where the center of gravity should lie in debates on cybersecurity: in a commitment to the core of the liberal project as its best defense mechanism.

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The Dialogue was a joint undertaking between the Department of Security Studies and Criminology (SSC) at Macquarie University and the Regional Programme Australia and the Pacific of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation. It brought together policy makers, government officials, business leaders and academics from Australia and Germany. The goal was to discuss the most pressing cyber security challenges and identify areas for further bilateral cooperation in this area.

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